Lack of life experience and marketable skills often lead orphans and children with special needs to unfortunate events in life. Practical limitations aren’t the only barrier for such people. Psychological burdens, placed by public opinion, cause nearly the same, if not higher, damage. In Russian society, it’s customary to refer to such children as “disabled” and treat them with caution, which ultimately leads to isolation and unnecessary barriers between able- bodied and minded people and handicapped ones. Such people are in dire need of creative, psychological, social and cultural rehabilitation, in order to achieve success in life.

We set our goal to alter the attitude towards people with special needs and to prove, that there are no “limited” opportunities, to inspire people with various disabilities and healthy ones alike to push their abilities to the Breaking Point in pursuit of success. That’s how ‘Breaking Point’ campaign was born.

Campaign’s objective is to tell about FotoCh, a charitable organisation that develops specialised educational programs for unique teenagers.

Breath-taking project ‘Breaking Point’ consists of several phases and elements, including making of a short documentary, press event and an exhibition for general public. Most important element is also the most daring: nine pupils of FotoCh participated in two extreme photo expeditions to remote regions of Russia offseason. First being a sub-tropical canyon in Caucasus mountains in late autumn. Second expedition was to frozen Lake Baikal and took place in March. Both destinations are highly demanding and nearly impossible to conquer even for strong healthy adults.

Armed with sheer willpower and determination, teens with special needs climbed the mountains, followed narrow rocky trails and roamed vast glacier valley in Eastern Siberia. By nearly reaching the Breaking Point of human abilities, they set an example for all of us and proved, that we set limits in our heads. In reality, each of us has unlimited opportunities leading towards unlimited possibilities.

Check out some of the photographs, made by the teens.

‘During brainstorming sessions, we unanimously decided, that it should be something difficult even for an ordinary person’, says one of the authors of original idea and movie director Maxim Kolishev. ‘Our teenagers are extraordinary people with super powers and inexhaustible talent. Hence best way to reveal their creativity is a photo expedition to hard-to-reach places’.

Concepts of “breaking point” and living on the edge formed the basis of exhibition’s creative idea. Despite being a charitable event, the exposition didn’t broadcast any messages of guilt and pity, which are considered tools of trade in the NGO industry. It didn’t spell out the inspirational context either. Instead “mute” exposition engaged visitors into experiencing the same trials as photographers had. At first glance, it was one more photo and media exhibition among dozens happening in Moscow simultaneously. However, guests soon noticed, that 3D installations aren’t there to just demonstrate the scenery better. Thanks to self-explanatory design, they invited people to try and take same quality photographs, while being subjected to unfamiliar physical limitations. Four interactive showpieces imitated various special needs, such as constant tremor or paralysed limbs.

This is the only photograph, which isn't taken by special teens. I've made it after closing hours.

Hours before opening exhibition for public we held a press event, to which we invited journalists, TV channels, bloggers and government officials. Latter allowed to directly advertise FotoCh with organisations capable of providing support. Thanks to that cunning move, the exhibition will be extended and moved to the most popular park in Moscow, Gorky Park.

Premiere of a short movie about the expeditions took place during the opening ceremony of the Breaking Point exhibition. Documentary features bird view panoramas of conquered landscapes, stories by participants and messages from celebrities, who supported the campaign: famous actors, film critics and photographers. It has relaxing atmosphere about it, which helps in broadcasting the idea of unlimited opportunities and mental strength.

https://youtu.be/10xTb6t-Xss

Spectacular and inspiring nature of Breaking Point campaign allowed to achieve great results. FotoCh a local charitable organisation became one of the hot topics in Russia. Yet the most important result is how 9 teenagers proved to themselves and the whole world, that they are people with EXTRAabilities and that willpower is the greatest superpower of all. By personal example they inspired all of us to get off the couch, work towards our dreams, and push our abilities to the Breaking Point.