The Indian Ocean Laboratory of the Foundation for Innovation in Democracy announces the release of its documentary "Ilakaka, Living in the Shadow of Artisanal Mines." Produced as part of the "Voices of the Living" program, this film tackles a social phenomenon often reduced to stereotypes but rarely documented in depth.
The documentary traces the history of Madagascar's largest sapphire mining site: a village that, until 1998, had only about forty inhabitants and now hosts thousands, all driven by the same hope of finding a sapphire. Madagascar is now among the world's leading producers of this precious stone, and Ilakaka—with a population estimated at around 60,000 inhabitants in 2024—has become one of the main centers of this activity.
The documentary follows the daily lives of miners like Tsiatsefa, who arrived from Belamoty in 2019, as well as the informal networks that structure the entire sapphire economy: the "business gasy" who pre-finance pit exploitation, buyers from around the world, and families who share profits with each discovery.
The project was directed by Randianina Radilofe, Indian Ocean coordinator of the Foundation for Innovation in Democracy, and Symphorien Ongolo, researcher at the IRD. The documentary was made by Mihaja Clerck, based on a scenario inspired by the research thesis of Onja Harison, project assistant at the Indian Ocean Laboratory, written under the direction of Patrick Ranjatson and Symphorien Ongolo.
The film will premiere on September 27, 2026 in Antananarivo, as part of the International Documentary Film Festival.
Miangaly Ralitera