Black Snow + Visible Mending

A Siberian mother’s uncovering of a coal scandal thrusts her into conflict with Russian authorities, sparking a perilous quest for truth and justice.

 When an abandoned mine catches fire beneath her hometown in remote Siberia, Natalia Zubkova, a formidable mother-of-three-turned-citizen journalist, steps up to aid her community. As her live, self-narrated, mobile phone videos of the town’s toxic living conditions gain traction online, Natalia becomes the target of a ruthless government propaganda campaign. Undeterred, she bravely delves deeper into the scandal, unearthing a labyrinth of corruption.

 Filmmaker Alina Simone chronicles Natalia’s journey – amidst persistent police surveillance – laying bare the personal sacrifices and perils Natalia endures in the pursuit of environmental justice and accountability, and the insidious tactics employed by those in authority. Against the backdrop of an ever-encroaching totalitarian regime, BLACK SNOW is a revelatory account of the human toll of big industry.

Emotional repair through wool. VISIBLE MENDING is a stop motion animated documentary made with knitted objects that reclaims the role knitting plays in many people’s lives; helping them face adversity, calm anxiety, and make crucial social connections.

A group of stop motion knitted objects tell stories about how they have used knitting to mend themselves, even if the repair is temporary.