Sur la lune de nickel

Norilsk, Russia: a place so cold and dreary that teenagers and seniors alike dream of escape. Originally built by Soviet prisoners to mine nickel, copper and iron, Norilsk remains a mysterious, remote industrial city in Arctic Siberia. Not much is known about the city's past or present. For the teenagers and miners featured in the film, it's a place dominated by polar winds and industrial pollution. Despite the Norilsk Nickel company's half-hearted efforts to convince locals that Norilsk is one of Russia's top places to live, there's no hope for a brighter future here. With poetic imagery, candid interviews and surreal snowy landscapes, the film weaves a fascinating tale of a secretive city that until now has been closed to foreign visitors. (Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival)