Introduction:

The old freight station in Zürich once brought prosperity to the city. Its construction unleashed a flow of goods and unveiled new access to the world. But 125 years later, this symbol of international exchange and movement is making way for control, isolation and national security. A new Prison and Police Centre is planned to rise in its place, designed to accommodate people awaiting deportation. Shot entirely from his window, film maker Thomas Imbach has observed the construction site for over seven years, wringing life and beauty from the restless movement of machines and people that are reshaping the area. Fueled by Imbach’s consternation, and accompanied by both his personal chronicle, along with testimonies of newly arrived immigrants, NEMESIS probes how we deal with the extinction of history.