Rozpad (18) + discussion

Rozpad, which translates to English as Decay, is the first feature film about the disaster at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Soviet Ukraine – an incident often referred to by the Russian spelling of the town’s name, Chernobyl.

It is April 1986, and journalist Oleksandr Zhuravliov has returned home to Kyiv. Oleksandr’s homecoming is disrupted by rumours of a disaster in Chornobyl - but the rolling news coverage of the event doesn’t appear to tell the full story, and Oleksandr’s journalistic curiosity is piqued.

Paralleling the radioactive “decay” in the fallout of the disaster with the halt of modernity, and the failing Soviet state, Rozpad explores relationships during the end of an era.

Much like Threads, Mick Jackson and Barry Hines’ disturbing Sheffield-set nuclear apocalypse film from 1984, Rozpad interrogates the consequences and relevance of nuclear power. 40 years after the accident, it remains a vital document of a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s history.

Presented in partnership with Ukrainian Institute London. 
This event has been supported by the ENGAGE Fund from Manchester Metropolitan University.