A large lake that empties, refugee camps that fill up. What is happening in the Lake Chad basin is emblematic of the relationship between climate change, conflicts and humanitarian crises.
“Tropic of Chaos” is a journey through the faces and tenacity of those who resist, through the stories of those who witness the disappearance of the waters and, with them, of their own cultural heritage. Geographically distant voices that require us to reflect on what is happening next to us.
In 1960, Lake Chad covered an area equal to that of Sardinia: since then the lake has shrunk by 90%, exclusively due to climate change. The rainfall regime has changed and the river systems that feed the lake have drastically reduced their flow. New islands have appeared. Cities and villages that were once lapped by water are now largely surrounded by sand.
The story of the film follows a common thread that links the decrease in the lake's waters to the appearance of conflicts between farmers, nomadic shepherds and fishermen. And, starting from these conflicts, the arrival of the Boko Haram terrorists, who in recent years have caused the death of thousands of people and created the conditions for enormous migratory flows.
Millions of refugees seeking refuge in camps in Chad are making the humanitarian crisis among the most serious on the planet. A crisis which, according to experts, will bring a new wave of migration towards Europe.
The film gives voice to the victims of this dramatic situation, revealing their commitment, dignity, cultural background, vitality, so that they themselves can make us understand what - we, all - are losing. And the urgency of averting the disaster.
In this journey "at eye level" among the peoples of the lake - the African point of view -, the film introduces a second level: an "aerial" gaze, previously unseen in this part of the planet, composed of images taken from a drone following the prophetic verses of “The Waste Land” (1922) by T.S. Eliot . This multi-level reading intends to restore the epic, human dimension as a whole of this fragile cultural heritage, beyond the news and geographical differences.

Directed by Angelo Loy
After a degree and a doctorate in biology, Angelo turned to filmmaking in 2000 directing narrative documentaries on social themes, of medium and long duration: among others, Black Pinocchio (2005), An Italian School (2010), Commonplaces (2015), Loosing Ground (2022) , State Servants (2023). Since 2000 he has held training seminars and conducted participatory video workshops in Italy, France, Germany, Morocco, Kenya and India. Some of the products of these laboratories were meant for national and International broadcasters, such as TV Slum (2002), African Spelling Book (2005), Millennium News (2009). He currently produces and directs documentaries for the Italian Public Television.