About the Project
Unearthing the silent history of nuclear testing in the Sahara through interactive storytelling.
The Concept
Desert of Silence is more than a documentary—it is an interactive digital dossier that places you in the shoes of those affected by the legacy of the Gerboise Bleue nuclear tests.
By giving you agency over the narrative path, the project reveals how history is not a single monolithic event, but a collection of personal, often conflicting, human truths.
Why This Story Matters
Moral Importance
Acknowledging the responsibility for past actions and their lasting consequences.
Lingering Trauma
Understanding the intergenerational health and psychological impacts on local communities.
Breaking Silence
Combating the archival erasure that has kept these stories hidden for decades.
Historical Context
From 1960 to 1966, France conducted 17 nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara. The first test, codenamed Gerboise Bleue (Blue Jerboa), took place near Reggane and was four times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.
Later tests were moved underground at In Ekker, but accidents like the Béryl incident released radioactive clouds that affected soldiers and civilians alike. The environmental and health effects continue to plague the region today.
"We were never told what happened that day. But our bodies remembered."
"Gerboise Bleue marked the beginning of a long silence that we are just now starting to break."