A Russian documentary about St. Petersburg is following Peter Jackson’s Hobbit in revolutionizing film. The new production is just the second ever to be shot at 48 frames per second, offering stunningly clearer, smoother images.

­Films have been shot at 24 frames per second since the late 1920s. The new technology however requires both filming and projecting at 48, which means cinemas will have to upgrade their equipment to be able to screen such pictures.

The new 100-minute movie Peter’s Town shows the city on the Neva in a completely new light. Director Viktor Kosakovsky aims to remove all cars, outdoor ads, and dirt from the streets and show the city “naked” as it is, at the best possible quality.

Last year, Kosakovsky’s film Vivan las Antipodas! became the first Russian film to be screened at the Venice Film Festival opening.