Toronto 2024: Exclusive U ARE THE UNIVERSE Poster Premiere
As the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival prepares for its upcoming edition, the Ukrainian sci-fi dramedy U Are the Universe reveals its poster. Directed by debuting filmmaker Pavlo Ostrikov, the film offers an exploration of love, loneliness, and human connection against the backdrop of a cosmic apocalypse.
Set in the near future, U Are the Universe follows the journey of Andriy Melnyk, a Ukrainian space trucker portrayed by Volodymyr Kravchuk, who transports nuclear waste across the solar system. His routine mission takes an unexpected turn when Earth suddenly explodes, leaving him as the last known human in the universe. Stranded in the vast emptiness of space, Andriy's solitude is interrupted when he receives a mysterious message from a distant station near Saturn.
Ostrikov's vision of space is far from the sleek, polished environments often depicted in science fiction. Instead, he embraces a "dirty space" aesthetic, where Andriy's ship is worn, rough, and almost a character in itself. The setting serves as a metaphor for Andriy's own emotional state—a man weathered by life and isolation, yet still resilient. The ship, much like Andriy, carries the weight of time and experience, making the vast emptiness of space feel palpably intimate.
At its core, U Are the Universe is a story about the last love in the universe. Ostrikov, who also penned the screenplay, imbues the narrative with an exploration of love as the ultimate human value. "In each of my films, I look for love because it is the highest human value," Ostrikov shares in his director's note. "It can be painful, but it usually brings great joy." This dichotomy of love—its capacity to both wound and heal—drives the film's emotional arc, making it a relatable journey for audiences across the globe.
While the film's setting is otherworldly, its themes are deeply grounded in contemporary issues. The dialogue between Andriy and other characters, including the robot Maxim (voiced by Leonid Popadko) and the enigmatic Catherine (Daria Plahtiy), highlights the universal human experience. Despite speaking different languages and coming from different backgrounds, the characters find common ground, reflecting the film's underlying message of unity in diversity.
Ostrikov’s motivation for this story is particularly poignant, given the current geopolitical climate. The director and his team faced significant challenges during production, particularly during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Despite blackouts, air raid alerts, and the constant threat of violence, the filmmakers pressed on, driven by the belief that their work was not just a film, but a cultural resistance. "Russia wants to destroy not only our cities and villages but also our culture. And every Ukrainian film is a weapon against this," Ostrikov asserts.
