Where We Used to Sleep

Valeria is the sole inhabitant of a small Romanian village, deserted due to the tons of mud from the nearby copper mine that have flooded the area, raising the level of the polluted local lake and drowning everything in their path. Only the church spire is now visible, strongly reminiscent of our own “weeping meadow.” With fortitude, stoicism, and courage, the elderly woman, accompanied by her few animals and some citizens who ask her to do what seems reasonable, refuses to leave her land, which now resembles a dystopian thriller. A disturbing socio-ecological documentary that revolves around its central protagonist, who literally gives lessons in life, dignity, and perseverance, standing tall in the face of utter destruction. The landscape photography is stunning, with the camera capturing images that balance between eerie beauty and total devastation.