Mikhailovna Called (Signed)

Beat Schweizer’s three-part documentary is a warm-hearted survey of special living conditions and how these are dealt with. His long-term project presents us with forms of existence which, beyond the anecdotal, provide profound insight into human life. With his systematic view, he brings out the general in the individual and the individual in the general, but also reveals a keen eye for comedy, tragedy and absurdity – a finely-tuned sensorium for the anomalies of everyday life.

Sascha Renner, Director at COALMINE and deputy director of the Fotostiftung Schweiz

No matter how dark the night, how stark the winter, this curve is consistently enveloped – like a humming sound – by a delicate sheen; possibly a light from prehistoric times, perhaps the glimmering of an affable, gradually approaching future.

Urs Mannhart, writer

But, basically, everything’s fine. We Russians have a saying that “hope dies last”. It’s why we keep hoping that life will be better some day. I’ll stop here because if I remember everything, it will fill a whole book of its own.

Roman Konik, lives in Teriberka, Russia

For me, Dikson’s my home. I don’t want to leave. I’ve been to the mainland on holiday. I was there for a bit and then I wanted to come home. I’m just so used to everything here and when you go to the mainland after being here a long time, nothing seems right over there, it’s like being on another planet.

Tanja Achlomova, lives in Dikson, Russia

What will tomorrow bring? Dunno. You’ve got to live in the present. The past’s gone and when the future comes, it’ll be the present. Is there any point putting any hope in it?

Misha Danov, lives in Norilsk, Russia