Berlin's Zvizdal: Chernobyl Survivors at Drodesera Festival

At the Drodesera Festival, the Berlin collective presented 'Zvizdal', a performance based on the true story of Pétro and Nadia, an elderly couple who refused to evacuate their village of Zvizdal after the Chernobyl disaster on April 26, 1986. The disaster forced the evacuation of ninety towns and villages within a 30-kilometer radius, but Pétro and Nadia chose to remain in their home. For five years, Berlin members Bart Baele and Yves Degryse visited the couple twice annually, interviewing them and documenting their life in the radioactive exclusion zone. The performance portrays solitude, survival, essentiality, hope, and love. Berlin was founded in 2003 by Bart Baele, Yves Degryse, and Caroline Rochlitz. Their work is characterized by a documentary and interdisciplinary approach, often starting from a specific city or region. For this project, they collaborated with cultural journalist Cathy Blisset. The interview was conducted by Dalila D'Amico and Chiara Pirri as part of the Words Breakers project within World Breakers_Drodesera XXXVI, promoted by WorkOfOthers and Centrale Fies. The voice-off was provided by the company MOTUS.