U nukuch che’ilo’ob chiicho’ob yéetel noolo’ob
DESERT PHOSfate
Film screening followed by a discussion and a Q&A with the filmmaker
9. November 2025
19.00-22.00
19.00-22.00
Save the Date
For free
for adults
in English
The Sahrawi people of Western Sahara have lived for decades in a state of exile and resistance. Following Spain’s withdrawal in 1975, Morocco’s occupation of the territory sparked a protracted struggle for self-determination. Today, much of the Sahrawi population remains displaced in refugee camps in southwest Algeria, sustaining their culture, identity, and political aspirations despite isolation and environmental hardship. Within this context, artists have become crucial voices in preserving memory and imagining futures beyond occupation.
DESERT PHOSfate is an experimental documentary film by Sahrawi artist Mohamed Sleiman Labat. It traces the story of the chemical compound phosphate and its role in the occupation of Western Sahara, weaving together layered narratives of land, sand particles, plants, and the displacement of both humans and minerals.
The film explores different modes of storytelling — revealing the realities, metaphors, and poetics of the desert. It illuminates the interconnections between ecological justice, colonial practices, environmental violence, resource extractivism, and the transformation of indigenous ways of knowing and relating to the world.
Rooted in Sahrawi narratives, rhythms, and philosophies, the film draws on traditional forms of storytelling — such as metaphor, dream-telling, and fable — to evoke indigenous perspectives on life and landscape.
The screening will be followed by a discussion and Q&A with the artist, Mohamed Sleiman Labat.
DESERT PHOSfate
