Elevated Art - Wer Kunst auf Berge stellt

For some, it is a waste of money and a blight on nature. For Michael Moling, it is an expression of love for his home town. Every two years, Michael and his team organise a special art show in Val Badia in South Tyrol. As part of the SMACH project, specially designed sculptures by artists from all over the world are installed in high alpine terrain. For one summer, the artworks blend into the landscape in a surreal way and are only accessible to those who take on the long and often challenging ascent on foot. For Michael, SMACH is a way of attracting new visitors away from mass tourism. However, the project meets with resistance in the village itself, as contemporary art is an incomprehensible world for many. There are also problems with setting up the ten installations. Some of the artists seem to have overreached themselves in their endeavours and fail due to the conditions in the mountains or their own ideas. The film follows Michael and the artists of SMACH 2023 over the course of several months as they prepare for and realise the biennial and try to get their art recognised.