Saving Mes Aynak
An Afghan archaeologist confronts mining interests, militant threats, and political inertia to protect Mes Aynak’s buried history.
Overview
An urgent race against time to preserve a cultural treasure unfolds in the heart of Afghanistan.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- urgent
- serious
- somber
- history viewing
- documentary night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the documentary as an urgent and compelling appeal for archaeological and cultural preservation in Afghanistan.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mes Aynak faces demolition because a Chinese mining company seeks copper beneath the ruins.
Qadir Temori serves as both archaeologist and public defender of Afghanistan’s endangered heritage.
Potential discoveries at Mes Aynak could reshape understandings of Afghanistan and Buddhist history.
Only a small portion of the site has been excavated before planned copper mining could erase it.
Films like Saving Mes Aynak, and why
The Cave
archaeological preservation, political pressure, and immersive documentary realism
The Destruction of Memory
endangered cultural heritage, conflict-zone filmmaking, and urgent investigative documentary
The Mystery of the Maya
archaeology, contested history, and the protection of ancient sites against modern forces
Movie Details
- Director
- Brent E. Huffman
- Release Date
- 2014-11-21
- Runtime
- 58 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (2)
Cast
- Qadir Temori
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- OVID
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Saving Mes Aynak about?
- An Afghan archaeologist confronts mining interests, militant threats, and political inertia to protect Mes Aynak’s buried history.
- What is Saving Mes Aynak like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Saving Mes Aynak as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Saving Mes Aynak violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Saving Mes Aynak as mild.
- What did critics think of Saving Mes Aynak?
- Critics broadly regard the documentary as an urgent and compelling appeal for archaeological and cultural preservation in Afghanistan.
- Which films are like Saving Mes Aynak?
- Films with a similar feel include The Cave, The Destruction of Memory, and The Mystery of the Maya.
- How long is Saving Mes Aynak?
- Saving Mes Aynak runs 58 minutes.
- Where can I watch Saving Mes Aynak?
- In United States, Saving Mes Aynak streams on OVID.
