The locality is home to nearly 60,000 inhabitants. The Indian Ocean Laboratory of the Foundation for Innovation in Democracy announces the release of the documentary "Ilakaka, living in the shadow of artisanal mines". This film, directed by Mihaja Clerck, delves into a reality often overlooked: that of thousands of lives shaped by the sapphire rush. In 1998, the chance discovery of a blue stone transformed Ilakaka, a small hamlet of about forty inhabitants. Within months, the village became a global sapphire hub, attracting thousands of fortune seekers. Today, the locality is home to nearly 60,000 inhabitants and remains one of the world's premier sapphire centers. The documentary follows the daily lives of diggers, such as Tsiatsefa, who came from Belamoty in 2019, and reveals the informal networks that structure the local economy. The "business gasy" that finance the wells, foreign buyers, and families sharing their gains form a universe where each person holds a piece of knowledge. This project is carried by Randianina Radilofe and Symphorien Ongolo, with a scenario inspired by Onja Harison's thesis. Supported by CNRE, IRD, UCM, and MESUPRES, it testifies to the generosity of Ilakaka's residents, who opened their daily lives to the camera. For philosopher Achille Mbembe, director of the Foundation, this film contributes to building a world "habitable by all and breathable for all". The first screening will take place on September 27, 2026 at the International Documentary Film Festival in Antananarivo. It will offer the public an opportunity to discover this work and exchange with the team on the social and human issues raised by artisanal sapphire mining.