Mon Paradis - Der Winterpalast (2003)

Mon Paradis, Der Winterpalast is a forty-eight minute film by Elfi Mikeschi that explores the history of the Hermitage and its effect on the people in St. Petersburg. Staff and curators of the museum are interviewed throughout the film, detailing their love of the museum and discussing with pride how the population's collective passion for its works saved many treasures from destruction during the German siege of St. Petersburg. It is mostly shot documentary-style, and while I appreciated a deeper look at the Hermitage outside of the context of Russian Ark, I found it to be the least interesting supplement included on this DVD. It is a nice and moderately informative addition, but it isn't one I'd return to any time soon.