Smokestack Town

In this smoky town, everything seems to have frozen in time, but only at first glance. The asphalt is cracked, the houses have burned to the ground, and the factories continue to spew grey smoke into the sky. And yet, it is here that a strange sense of permanence can be felt, as if someone had covered life with a blanket smelling of coal and wet grass.

Old Toyotas are living out their days on bald tyres, fishermen are still asking for luck by the river, and teenagers are lighting their lighters in the darkness of the park, just like their parents did. Everything repeats itself, and there is something comforting in this repetition. Even if the river flows brown and muddy, and the body breaks down from hard work before the soul does, you still want to stay right here.

The sunset over the school baseball game illuminates this world with a soft glow. And even though the city drains your strength, it also preserves the warmth of familiar faces. It's as if you can hear it: if you're going to lie down forever, then only under the sky of your native Smokestack Town.

Director Kevin Paul