Tokio Komatsubara

Alexei and the Spring

180 kilometers down wind of Chernobyl, the village of Budische was evacuated except for 55 older residents who refused to leave and one young man, Alexei who wanted to stay with his parents. This is a simple story of life in Budische 14 years later, as told in voiceover by Alexei. The Belarus village is built around a common spring from which everyone draws water, toting it back to their homes, and to which the women walk to do their laundry outside.