British expat working on documentary about rapidly disappearing pearl-diving communities

Grain of Sand, a documentary exploring the forgotten traditions and folk music of Emirati pearl divers that is filming in the UAE this month, is launching a crowdfunding appeal.

The film’s presenter and producer Jason Carter, a Briton living in China who is a professional Spanish guitarist by trade, may not seem the most likely candidate to bring this portrayal of ancient Emirati folk culture to the screen, but he’s been passionate about Emirati culture for years.

“I moved to the UAE for the first time 21 years ago, staying for three-and-a-half years on that occasion and it’s been my second home ever since,” he says. “It’s changed so much since then, but I still have a real passion for that traditional culture. I love it, and that’s really the reason for the film.”

But in the modern UAE is there really much of the pearl-diving heritage left to find?

“I’ve been researching the film for more than a year and it really does depend who you ask,” says Carter. “Ask anyone under the age of about 50 and they’ll say ‘it’s all gone, all lost, they’re all dead now’.

“But then I asked some much older Emiratis in Al Ain and they said: ‘Sure, we’ll take you to them anytime’. I’ve learnt that in the Northern Emirates there are still communities of traditional pearl divers. They may not be diving so much anymore but they still gather and tell their stories and sing their songs.”

Carter made a conscious decision not to take his research too much farther in advance, choosing instead to allow the film to chart his own journey of discovery.

Original article by Chris Newbould

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British expat working on documentary about rapidly disappearing pearl-diving communities