Garage People

When it comes to expressing their individualism, American males have their “man caves” and the British their allotment sheds. But for certain rural Russians, it’s the garage that provides a window into their personal lives. Director Natalija Yefimkina spent four years earning the trust of her subjects in Russia’s far north. With a sociologist’s eye, she documents their special boltholes: one is used for breeding quails, another for the rehearsals of a punk band. There’s a metal workshop and one for carving wooden icons. Perhaps most surprising is the enterprising man who spent a lifetime excavating his space, so that it now encompasses four underground levels. It’s a legacy that he will bequeath to his grandson. – Alissa Simon