When a Village dies

Russia 2011

'When a village dies' is a fine documentary art project on the theme of the disappearing villages and their inhabitants in Russia.

Since the desintegration of the Sovjet Union more than 20 years ago, the countryside has gone through dramatical changes resulting in poor infrastructure and increasing urbanisation. Where there used to be big villages or even cities with hundreds of inhabitants and animals, good roads, running water and electricity, the today's picture is a lot different.

Most people left after there was no work to be found, moved to bigger cities leaving their past , their houses and often times their parents behind. Many of the few people remaining are now confronted with slowly vanishing living standards. The roads are not renewed and elctricity is turned off during the winter.

An old woman's best friend and her only company is her goat. She is the last in her village. She has to walk through the forrest to buy bread by the road from a stopping car. The road into her village does not exist anymore.

The magic of small and unimportant things is still breathing life into a long abandoned living room. Sometimes we didn't even dare to speak loudly.

'When a village dies' is a running project, willing to result in a book combining the pictures plus stories and impressions written by Diana Laarz.