Filmed by a local Ukrainian reporter during the first day of the incident at the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl in 1986, these images unexpectedly captured the invisible radiation. White spots, like flashes, appear on parts of them. Whilst providing visible proof of the radiation present the marks have at the same time deleted pieces of the recorded document.

The sun shines in Kiev is based on the life of Vladimir Shevchenko, one of the first filmmakers who was allowed access to the “red zone” after the meltdown of the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl in 1986. In the film the incident is not mentioned and there is no visual representation of the disaster. The incident is used to reflect on the way filmakers can document extreme events and also on our sense of collective memory.

The sun shines in Kiev uses oral narration as a main element to create a visual context. In this film most of the footage is missing. All the information given is personal, fragmented and in contradictory. Since the Chernobyl disaster the official information have been modified in relation to the interests of the various governments. I use these contradictions to reconstruct the biography of Shevchenko to explore the ways in which history shapes individual memories.

The soundtrack is specially composed by the Italian electronic musician FRAME using pieces of music, voices and statements recorded by Vladimir Shevchenko in 1987.

images (from top) Rossella Biscotti, The sun shines in Kiev, 2006, slide projection; 16mm film still (details), courtesy the artist

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