Paradise

Through hypnotic images, accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack, the film explores the daily hardships of the inhabitants of the Siberian village of Šologon. Šologon is located in the heart of the taiga within one of the Russian government's demarcated "zones," remote areas that are difficult to access, sparsely inhabited and, in this case, constantly threatened by wildfires. In 2021 the local population, abandoned by authorities and government institutions, is forced to deal with an unusual heat wave and the consequent breakout of huge wildfires, and witness the devastation of millions of hectares of land, both from the power of the flames and the scattering of the ashes. So what emerges is a profound reflection on the relationship between man and nature, where an almost mystical and religious respect for natural elements is combined with the fear of their destructive power.