Nemesis

Over a period of seven years, Thomas Imbach filmed the demolition process of the Zurich freight depot and the subsequent construction of a prison and police centre exclusively from the window of his flat. The destruction is not only of a material nature, but also has a strong political dimension, which Imbach makes explicit through off-screen commentary. Through the artful manipulation of shot sizes, projection speed and the coupling of timeline and soundtrack, the director combines the macro level of this destruction with multi-layered micro stories (including labour migration and personal experiences). From a distance (but with a large zoom), he captures social interactions that take place randomly in the surroundings, while the construction machines appear like animated monsters and turn the site into a meeting place for people - and animals - over the course of the seasons. (M.B. / N.K. / I.R.)

Introduction by Nicole Kandioler

Photo: Austrian Film Museum