A Moon of Nickel And Ice is a feature documentary exploring the destinies of the inhabitants of Norilsk, one of the USSR’s fiercest Gulags, now one of the world’s most important mining towns in the heart of the Russian Arctic.
In moon-like scenery composed of barren mountains, polar nights and gusty winds, our camera reveals the everyday life and the people’s stories in this eerie place at the edge of the planet. Norilsk is surrounded by the countless Norilsk Nickel mines. Here, wherever one looks, factory chimneys churn out sulphurous reminders of the dreadful past and brooding omens of a depressing future.
We witness miners operating deep within the bowels of the earth and teenagers desperate for a change. We follow the Mayakovksi theatre’s artistic director who joins forces with a local editor in order to reveal the truth behind the Gulag’s brutal legacy in an attempt to pay a moving tribute to the victims.
This immersive operatic film invites you to the harsh lives of these marooned Arctic Russians who find solace in comraderie and escape plans. It portrays this uprooted population in a fair and moving way, as they work in extreme conditions to provide the rest of the world with precious resources from the ice.
Film Screening at TARQ | A Moon of Nickel and Ice
Current event
5pm - 7pm