Mila and the Storm is an award-winning photographic account by Matthew Smith. The fictional tale of Russian make-up artist Mila, who leaves her hometown in the North Caucasus to start a new life first in Istanbul and later in London, unfolds across 65 striking images. With great sensitivity and a poetic visual language, Smith chronicles Mila’s search for a brighter future—in places that remain foreign to her and yet hold the promise of hope.
Russia’s heritage and the burden of history run through the story as does the quiet but persistent fear that never loosens its grip on Mila. In the end, she—and we, the audience—have no choice but to confront this past and to tentatively seek out a path into the future.
Matthew Smith
Fotokunst Fotografieerzählung Migration Migration in der Kunst Kaukasus Russland Identität und Herkunft Matthew Smith Poetische Fotografie