About

Directed by Pim Zwier
Netherlands
2018, 56 min., documentary

Guided by political conviction and social consciousness architect Han van Loghem travelled to Siberia in the mid 1920s. The Soviet Union was in need of specialists to help design and construct entirely new cities in the Urals and Siberia, which were to become important mining and metallurgical centers. Filled with ideals and desire for adventures modern architects from West Europa left for the future workers' paradise.

'Building amidst solitude' reveals how for van Loghem the journey to Siberia was also a quest for personal and professional fulfillment, which in the Netherlands he felt he lacked. Van Loghem's personal quest had its repercussions on his marriage and his wife Berthe Neumeijer, who initially planned to stay in the Netherlands, followed him to Siberia in an attempt to save their marriage. The text is entirely based on letters, lectures and a manuscript by Han van Loghem and Berthe Neumeijer. The image consists of archival footage and photos, mainly from Russian archives.

Directed by	Pim Zwier
Sound recording	Evgeny Goryainov and Paul Gies
Assistants sound recording	Anastasia Patlay, Kristina Daurova and Natalia Eremina
Casting	Anastasia Patlay
Production	Gijs Kessler (International Institute of Social History) and Pim Zwier
Research	Natalia Eremina, Gijs Kessler, Pim Zwier
Editing	Pim Zwier
Sound Design	Paul Gies, Klink Audio
Image	Post Production: Ruud de Bruyn, Loods Lux & Lumen
Color corrections	Petro van Leeuwen
Graphic Design	Natalia Eremina

PIM ZWIER

An independent film maker/ media artist and obtained his MFA at the Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam in 2003. He makes documentaries, short films and video-installations. His films and installations balance between documentary and experimental film and have been shown at festivals around the world, in exhibitions, and on television.