Michal has been producing short documentaries for CGTN's Assignment Asia program, below are a few examples.
MYANMAR'S UNEMPLOYED ELEPHANTS
Elephants are important workers in Myanmar's logging industry because of their size and strength. But as the country cuts down on logging to stop its rapid deforestation, many elephants are now out of work. Michal Bardavid went to a retirement home for Myanmar's unemployed elephants, where they are given special treatment and tourists are encouraged to plant trees. Filmed by Mark Esplin.
HASANKEYF - WASHING AWAY ANCIENT TOWN
Hasankeyf is a small, ancient town along the Tigris River in southeastern Turkey. The government declared it a natural conservation area in 1981. But a new hydro-electric dam is being built, which is threatening the town and all of its treasures. Michal Bardavid travelled there to get a closer look at a town that’s deeply rooted in history, which could get washed away.
Filmed by Mark Esplin.
TURKIYE'S LAST ANATOLIAN NOMADS
For generations, Anatolian nomads in Turkey have sustained their traditional lifestyle. Theirs is a life of constant migration in search of better conditions for themselves and their livestock. But as Michal Bardavid reports from Konya in Turkey, their population is dwindling, and their nomadic existence is under threat.
Filmed and edited by Mark Esplin.
Turkey's Ulubey Canyon is considered a national treasure and a popular tourist destination. However, the stunning rock formations and their surroundings have been tainted by toxic wastes from nearby industrial zones. This has prompted environmentalists and residents to demand for solutions. Michal Bardavid assessed the impact of pollution on local farmers, and discovered that if well-tackled, the Canyon has great potential in spurring tourism and attracting more tourists. Filmed by Mark Esplin and Miguel Angel Sanchez Gutierrez.
It’s one thing to be a refugee and find a safe place to live. But it’s another to have to live in a safe place with the disturbing memories of the past. Sadly this is the case with many Syrian refugees, often children, who’ve never received help dealing with the trauma. Michal Bardavid met a young man in Turkey who’s trying to change that, by introducing creative therapy – and a bit of fun – to Syrian children. Filmed and edited by Mark Esplin.
In Turkey, a small shop in a coastal town employs women who turn trash into treasure. But as Michal Bardavid found out, these women are doing something far more valuable: they’re finding their own voices. Filmed and edited by Mark Esplin.