Post-apocalyptic films used to have a sort of romance to them. The idea of a desolate wasteland was so otherworldly and foreign that it seemed like the perfect fodder for fun adventures. Well, if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we aren’t so far away from a potential war-torn, savage future. And the upcoming film “Atlantis” posits a post-apocalyptic future that, well, isn’t so futuristic and not nearly as fun as you would hope.
Set in the not-too-distant future of 2025, “Atlantis” tells the story of a desert location in Ukraine that is reeling from the effects of a war between the country and Russia that left the land without water. But while living in this hellscape, two people might actually come together and form an intimate bond that makes life a bit more bearable.
“Atlantis comes from filmmaker Valentyn Vasyanovych. Before this film, the director previously helmed “Black Level” and “Kredens.” His latest feature played this year’s shortened festival tour and ended up taking home the Best Feature prize at Venice Horizons at Venice International Film Festival. The film has also been selected as Ukraine’s official entry into the Oscars International Film race.
“Atlantis” will debut at Metrograph on January 22, 2021, and will begin its nationwide rollout in theaters shortly after.
Here’s the synopsis:
Eastern Ukraine, 2025. A desert unsuitable for human habitation. Water is a dear commodity brought by trucks. A Wall is being build-up on the border. Sergiy, a former soldier, is having trouble adapting to his new reality. He meets Katya while on the Black Tulip mission dedicated to exhuming war corpses. Together, they try to return to some sort of normal life in which they are also allowed to fall in love again.