This film is part of our series THE FUTURE WE LIVE IN, showing in March and April at De Uitkijk.
A post-apocalyptic tale by Russian filmmaker Konstantin Lopushansky—a protégé of Tarkovsky—depicting resilience and (desperate) hope amid radical chaos and destruction.
In the aftermath of a nuclear disaster, a small group of survivors is forced to remain in an underground bunker, struggling to hold onto hope in this new post-apocalyptic world. Among them is Professor Larsen (Rolan Bykov), a renowned physicist who, while caring for his ailing wife, writes letters to his missing son. Through these heartfelt letters, we gain insight into his deepest memories, fears, and philosophical reflections on how humanity has led itself to ruin.
The fact that Dead Man’s Letters was released in 1986, the same year as the Chernobyl disaster, makes the film even more unsettling today, underscoring the visionary nature of this haunting masterpiece.