whispers of the vanishing shore

whispers of the vanishing shore

In Larache, a small town located on Morocco's Atlantic coast, houses are inexorably slipping into the sea. Once majestic and sturdy, they now yield to the erosion of the cliffs, hastened by intensive seabed dredging near the shore. Even the cemetery, perched on the cliff, sees its graves slowly swallowed by the ocean.

Paradoxically, this sand, extracted from the sea in massive quantities, builds luxurious seaside resorts for wealthy tourists. Yet, the ultimate irony lies in these devastated beaches, where sand has given way to rock, making these new artificial paradises far less appealing, as visitors come seeking the soft, sandy beaches.

In this landscape tainted by corruption, these constructions rise soullessly, without urban planning, amidst desert-like surroundings. Often left unfinished due to bankruptcies, these projects leave behind ghostly, abandoned neighborhoods. Meanwhile, indifferent leaders turn a blind eye to the fishing families who have lived there for generations.

Through this documentary project, Thomas aims to reveal the faces of these resilient souls, powerless witnesses to a land slipping away beneath their feet, in the face of ruthless political decision-makers.

2017