‘U are the Universe’ overturns the idea of space as salvation for mankind, putting at the centre an ‘accidental’ astronaut who faces the annihilation of the Earth with fatalism. The film, claustrophobic and predominantly focused on a single character, keeps the attention high until a striking finale.
The nuclear catastrophe is only the starting point for a tale about loneliness and the illusion of individualism. Human beings cannot survive alone, and although hope is the last to die, it is not enough.
Balancing humour and drama, Pavlo Ostrikov avoids simple citationism and weaves cultural references into an intimate and intense narrative.
In its apparent staticity, U are the Universe arouses profound emotions, confirming itself as a work of science fiction capable of leaving its mark.
