U Are the Universe

This film is also showing at our sister cinema, Ritz Cinemas

The Story

“Ukrainian filmmaker Pavlo Ostrikov finds the right ingredients for a genuinely affecting love story.” – Variety

In Pavlo Ostrikov’s debut feature, U Are the Universe (2024), Ukrainian space trucker Andriy Melnyk is on a lonely, multi-year mission transporting nuclear waste to Jupiter’s moon, Callisto. His only companion is Maxim, a witty, sarcastic onboard computer designed to keep his spirits high. This routine existence is shattered when Earth suddenly explodes, leaving Andriy as the presumed last human being alive in the silent cosmos.

Just as he begins to succumb to total isolation, a radio transmission from a French scientist named Catherine reaches him from a distant space station near Saturn. Despite the astronomical distance and the failing state of his vessel, Andriy embarks on a desperate, high-stakes journey across the solar system to reach her. Filmed in Kyiv during the ongoing Russian invasion, Ostrikov crafts a poignant "cosmic love story" that blends deadpan humour with a deep, existential yearning for human connection in the face of total annihilation.

Festivals & Awards

Nominated for Best Film, People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival 2024
Official Selection of the Thessaloniki Film Festival 2024

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

90 min

Country

Ukraine

Language

Ukrainian (English subtitles)

Director

Pavlo Ostikov