Carolin Koss’s Copper Mountains (2018) was selected for the sixth edition of Festival Mente Locale, held in Vignola (Modena) and Valsamoggia (Bologna), from November 13–17. Copper Mountains will be screened on Saturday, November 16, at 16:30 in Teatro Cantelli, Vignola.

During a trip to the small town of Karabash by the Ural mountains, artist and filmmaker Carolin Koss felt compelled to capture the shocking effects of environmental pollution caused by excessive industrial exploitation. She started interviewing people, who call this seemingly post-apocalyptic place home. On her journey through the surrounding area, she encountered harrowing stories of survival, resignation, transformation and resilience. Avoiding sensationalism, Copper Mountains tells the story of a disturbing reality in achingly beautiful pictures.

Carolin Koss is a Helsinki based artist and filmmaker originally from Germany. Koss works with various mediums and often creates contemplative and aesthetic works, which embody internal landscapes or call for environmental deliberation. Her works recurrently have a dreamlike nature and captivate through symbolic language and stylized imagery. She completed her MFA degree at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki in 2014. Her films and video works have been shown on various international exhibitions and film festivals e.g. in Helsinki, Stockholm, Riga, Berlin, Athens, Venice, London and New York. Koss was recently nominated for the “Young Achiever’s Award” at the Golden Women Awards in Helsinki, she won the 1st price at the Screen & Sound Fest in Kraków and she was granted with the “Hope Award for arising new talents” at the Unprecedented film festival in Tallin.

Festival Mente Locale, November 13-17 2019, Vignola, Modena and Valsamoggia, Bologna, Italy

More information: Festival Mente Locale