O
Emilija Škarnulytė’s mesmerizing documentary navigates the borderline between a geological dig and speculative realism. It seamlessly shifts between the microscopic and macroscopic, starting with a 3D representation of uranium ore and transitioning to X-ray-like images of radioactive household items in a sickly green hue. These abstract visuals give way to a more tangible yet enigmatic scene: an underwater exploration of a 1950s uranium mine in Poland, previously concealed by the Soviet Union. Gliding through the ruins is a water python, symbolizing the exploitation of natural resources with its shimmering presence.
Recurring throughout Škarnulytė’s film is a sense of slipperiness, evident in both the imagery and the camera’s perspective. The film includes footage of the Ignalina nuclear power station in Lithuania, a plant similar to Chernobyl, and uses text on-screen to explain its decommissioning process. This process generated millions of cubic metres of reinforced concrete structures that will need to be demolished. It is hoped that this waste will be handled at a research facility located 500 metres below sea level in Meuse, France.
Despite the advanced technology present in these environments, Škarnulytė’s film also incorporates elements of surrealism. The python is once again featured at the Ignalina power plant, its shiny body coiling around the control panels. Through a combination of lush forests, nuclear test explosions, and close-ups of a snake shedding its skin, Burial raises questions about the potential for rebirth and transformation. As Ignalina is dismantled and hidden from public view, the lingering political influence of the Soviet Union remains, and the film ends with a message of solidarity for Ukraine.
Source: theguardian.com
