The Orchard Keepers

Original title The Orchard Keepers

To a backdrop of political upheaval, an island of green life floats in an arid desert; two Bedouin embark on a daily quest to keep their orchard in the rugged Sinai desert alive. We meet Dr Ahmad, the last surviving herbalist trained in the ancient ways of desert healing, and Amariya, the resilient and exuberant naturalist. For the filmmaker, what began as a short photography trip to focus on the few remaining orchards, evolved into a personal breakthrough. Living for a year with the Gabaliya tribe, she gained unique insight into the stratified tribal structures and layers of myth that enshroud the mountain region.

Author/s Bryony Dunne

Bryony Dunne is an Irish artist based in Cairo whose work engages Anthropology, Sociology, Ecology, and Visual Arts. Her various projects have sought to explore human’s relationship with the landscape, and the evolution of cultivation and settlements. Working through installations, film and photography, she explores concepts of intangible cultural heritage, myths and traditional practices. She holds a position teaching still image at the German University in Cairo. www.bryonymay.com

Research Bryony Dunne
Photography Bryony Dunne
Sound Akram Al Shariff
Editing Julien Schmid