Nord Express

Paris,1896. Nagelmackers creates the Nord Express (Northern Express) between Paris and St. Petersbourgh. Crossing the continent in 48 hours is a new communicational challenge for Europeans. A challenge continually negociated despite the explosion of two World Wars, the marks of blue crayon on military maps, a wall which divides a city... In 1990, Nord Express, the video, reconstitutes the 47 hours of the journey between the two cities. Our era constantly transforms itself, filled with the noise of machines. In Paris, railroad workers lay down the rails for new high-speed trains (TGV's). In Berlin, the wall comes down. In Brest (ex-USSR), workers replace normal-sized rail cars for wider ones.