SynopsisThis is the story of the Moken, an indigenous community of sea nomads living off the coast of Burma and Thailand.

They’ve been diving off and living in their traditional boats for over 3500 years, so their maritime knowledge is unique.

They actually predicted the 2004 tsunami. If we’d known that, thousands of lives could have been saved.

But, these people are citizenless and, like all indigenous people, they’re fighting for survival.

Project Moken has a documentary at its heart, but also an online campaign, a Facebook community and a mobile game app.

We aim to engage people to contribute to the survival and future of the Mokens.

To put the them on the map, enable them to create a sustainable future and empower all of us to make a difference.

TV Documentary

Online campaign

Mobile game app

Facebook community

Project webpage

The Documentary StoryHook is a young Moken sea nomad whose indigenous culture is under threat. How can he live in the modern world while retaining his traditional identity?   To live as a sea nomad, he needs a traditional boat, but he doesn’t know how to build one.  In fact, there’s quite a bit he doesn’t know about his own culture.  There are other Moken, who cling to their old ways in the north off the coast of Burma.   Hook thinks that if he can get to Burma he can seek out his cousins, learn how to build his boat, and be at one with the sea.The journey to Burma is long and treacherous. On the way he must avoid arrest by Burmese military who patrol the seas.  

The Burmese are directly responsible for Hook’s father’s diving sickness  resulting from his exploitation by the blast fishing industry.  They routinely imprison Moken fishermen for arbitrary reasons. Can Hook reach his relatives in the North and learn more about his culture? Can he get permission to remove a tree from the Thai national park to build a traditional boat?

Will his father live long enough to see his son settled and able to continue his cultural legacy, or will the unique knowledge of the Moken be lost to us forever?

The online campaign

Starts 6-8 months before film is finished

To raise awareness about the project and create support

for the felling of ONE tree to be used in the building of a new Kabang boat.

”Can one tree save a culture?Go to project-moken.comto grow the worlds tallestvirtual tree and make adifference”

Press kit

Intro text / loader

• Join us building the world’s largest virtual tree to help the last sea nomads of Asia save their home. The ancient Kabang Boat.

• Neither the Thai nor Burmese government will allow them access to the trees that have been at the heart of their boat building culture for 1000s of years

• In 6 months a film crew will present this petition to UNESCO and the Thai government. We want to demonstrate the world is watching.

Sign up for newsletter

Join our Facebook group

Your email adress

Mobile App/fundraiser

Support thestateless Moken people and follow

the story by becoming a

Virtual Citizen

Monthly newsletter

Weekly tweets and Facebook updates

After 2 months

Hold your breath and raise funds for the Moken

Time yourself while watching Hook dive

Challenge friends

Link to facebook to join community (if you are not signed in)

and become a citizen

We are setting up the Online Moken EmbassyApply for the most important job in the worldBecome the ambassador for the Moken peopleand make sure their stories are heard in the worldCommunity.

Next step?

Funding

Budget

• Total budget EUR 720.000

– Documentary totalEUR 550.000

– Digital totalEUR 170.000

• Online campaign EUR 70.000• Project/film homepage EUR 70.000• Mobile App / Game EUR 30.000

Financing plan

• Total budget EUR 720.000

• Norwegian Filmfund EUR 75.000• Producers investments EUR 30.000• Realistic extra funding from Norwegian Filmfund EUR 195.000

• Total raised EUR 300.000

• Financing needed EUR 420.000

Help us find out!

Creative TeamDirector Runar J. WiikAn established Norwegian director /D.O.P (cinematographer). The two latest films as a cinematographer on indigenous issues have won awards. Runar has exclusive access to the moken community and has spent the last 5 years developing the documentary.

 Co-Producer Barbara OrtonIs an award-winning producer from true-tv in Scotland producing for the UK and international markets. She has produced “Bruce goes dancing”, 2x60’ docs for BBC1 and recently a film as part of a co-produced series 5x45’ for ZDF/Arte “Gardens of Delight”. 

Co-Producer Sarah BartonHas more than fifteen years experience as an award winning documentary writer, director and producer. She has worked in remote aboriginal communities in Australia, and produced more than 40 hours of television about disability rights.

Interactive Producer Kristian ByeHas worked for15 years as a consultant/partner in major advertising agencies (Bates, D’Arcy, DDB) with a wide mix of cross media. For the last two years he has been managing director in Apt, the leading digital agency in Norway with awards from Cannes Cyberlions, Eurobest, INMA New York and Gulltaggen in Norway.  Producer Mette Cheng Munthe-KaasWorks as a producer and editor on independent documentary films. Mette has been developing this project for the last 2 years. Her work includes producing “Kabang – Nordic Origins”, editing and co-directing “Maritime Women” and “Sailors of war” for NRK, and editing the theatrical doc “Kings of Oslo”. Producer Christian Lien JensenIs a producer and founder of Hallum & Jensen A/S, established to pursue stories best made as independent productions. He has previously produced several shorts as well as produced commercials and corporates. His recent mockumentary production has just won a best short film award in Krakow.