El Itihad

Pauline Burguin

The story of a union between Imraguen and Breton artisans in the heart of the Banc d’Arguin National Park in Mauritania.

SYNOPSIS

In the heart of the Banc d’Arguin National Park in Mauritania, during an awareness-raising mission on marine pollution led by the NGO Biodivercités, I meet the carpenters and sail makers of the El Itihad cooperative in the village of R’Gueiba. These exchanges brought back memories of a unique collaboration with shipwrights from Douarnenez, in Bretagne (France), who had combined their expertise with that of Imraguen craftsmen to restore the community’s traditional sailing boats. A journey between past and present, between tradition and resilience, where craftsmanship becomes a bridge between worlds.

BIOGRAPHY

After working in Cairo, Avignon, and Brest as an artistic assistant and then as a development manager for live performances, Pauline settled in Bretagne (France) as a journalist specializing in culture. She made her first documentary in 2016, Quatre saisons, a musical film produced by Les Films de l’heure bleue. She has made audio documentaries, notably for Arte Radio, and short formats for France Télévisions’ Littoral magazine. Her second musical film, La harpe de Kristen, is the result of a collaboration with author and music critic François Gorin. Sensitive to the protection of marine biodiversity, she participates in cooperation programs, notably between Bretagne and Mauritania. Her writing and directing work is part of an approach based on real or imaginary connections between cultures, languages, and stories. Pauline co-founded the Douarnenez Audiovisual Center and the Quatre et Demi production cooperative. She leads writing and directing workshops in France and abroad.