Berlin – Bonanza – Holoceen [#3]

A cinematic portrait of a desolate mining town, the smallest in Colorado. The residents say Bonanza is a microcosm of the world.

There was once a little town
With five friendly houses,
The Rocky Mountains lying at their feet.
Snow covers the streets in wintertime.
A mountain creek runs through the village.
And if we look long enough
We can even see the elves.

Bonanza was once home to 6000 residents, surrounded by 36 saloons, seven dance halls, and a huge number of prostitutes for the miners. The motto was: get in, get rich, get out. The town now houses seven permanent residents, immersed in spirituality on a hotbed of accusations, rumours, murder and fear.

Berlin portrays this microcosmic town in a scale model with five film screens and a sound track by Peter van Laerhoven.