Russia at War Film Series: Atlantis

Few countries have been shaped by war as much as Russia. War, in many ways, is the burden of Russian history. Not surprisingly, Russian cinema (Soviet and post-Soviet) offers some of the most profound representations of war in the history of film. At the same time, filmmakers around the world have engaged with the Soviet Union and Russia as a threat or an invading force in places like Ukraine, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Join us on February 22 at the Varsity Theaterfor the first film in this semester’s series dedicated to the depictions of war in Russian cinema and of Russia at war.

Atlantis (Атлантида)
Valentyn Vasyanovych / 2020 / 108 minutes / Ukraine
In Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles

A prize-winner at the Venice Film Festival and Ukraine’s official selection for the 2021 Academy Awards, Atlantis is a visionary sci-fi drama. Eastern Ukraine, in the nearest future. A desert unsuitable for human habitation. Sergey, a former soldier suffering from PTSD, is having trouble adapting to his new reality: a life in pieces, a land in ruins. When the steel mill he works at finally shuts down, he finds an unexpected way to cope joining the volunteer Black Tulip mission dedicated to exhuming dead soldiers. By working alongside Katya, he understands that a better future is possible. Will he learn to live without war and accept himself as he is?

The event is free and open to the public For venue and parking info, please visit www.varsityonfranklin.com.