The Longest Day by Diana Takacsova

Public Story

The Longest Day

Copyright Diana Takacsova 2024

Updated Jul 2020

Location Svalbard

Topics Documentary, Dreams, Environment, Essays, Freedom, Isolation, Landscape, Media, Nature, Photography, Spotlight, Svalbard, Travel

There is a small community and a largely untouched land where the sun doesn’t set for months. Located between Norway mainland and the North Pole, Svalbard has inspired humans to explore, conquer, push boundaries and to seek places far away from reality. Here, Arctic silence, harsh landscapes and humans are becoming one - yet one can feel incredibly small. But here, changes are happening fast, too: temperatures have risen by 4°C since 1971 - an increase that is far ahead of computer simulations for our planet, making scientists and inhabitants the direct witnesses of the powerful consequences of climate change: melting glaciers, erosion, floods and an increasing amount of rain in what was once an arctic desert.

‘The Longest Day’ is an exploration of the changing reality of this remote part of Europe and its constantly repeating patterns and symbols, seeking to understand why this place is often an escape.

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Diana Takacsova

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