City of the Sun

The Georgian mining town of Chiatura has its best days far behind it. This film presents a meditative portrayal of a post-apocalyptic city of ghosts and its inhabitants as the devastated houses are swallowed by the surrounding landscape. Chiatura was built over one of the world's largest manganese deposits, and for centuries it was the centre of a vibrant industry. After Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union, however, the city began to collapse. The remaining population tries desperately to live a meaningful life in these difficult conditions. Some of the miners realize their dreams in an amateur theatre association, others by singing traditional songs. The only witnesses of their struggle to resist annihilation are decaying concrete structures. The camera tranquilly drifts through the abandoned industrial complexes surrounded by almost virgin nature and the rocks protruding through the grey storm clouds over this forgotten landscape.