The Scottish premiere of U Are the Universe took place on 4 March at Glasgow Film Festival.
U Are the Universe is a must-watch, if for no other reason than the remarkable circumstances of its creation. Young director Pavlo Ostrikov directed this fantastic film under wartime conditions in Ukraine, with a budget of just under 1 million Euros.
Despite the bleak context of the conflict, an easy-going sense of humour kept the audience laughing. The narrative was bound together effortlessly within a slow-burn love story, creatively incorporating elements of the quintessential rom-com genre into a conventional sci-fi piece.
The film follows Andriy Melnyk, a nuclear space trucker who, on his return to Earth after one of his routine expeditions, watches his home planet explode to dust. With his robot companion Maxim being the last person he will ever speak to, the two begin meandering around space to find somewhere to hide. The dialogue between the pair is utterly compelling, laced with comedic brevity whilst retaining its profundity.
The romantic thread is revealed when Andriy receives a message from Catherine, a French woman stuck orbiting Jupiter who begs him to partake in some friendly conversation. Andriy is pulled into Catherine’s orbit when he embarks on a rescue mission, which provides an opportunity for the audience to bear witness to some truly spectacular visuals of space. The film’s climax is reached when Andriy and Maxim reach Catherine, and Ostrikov pulls off an intelligent, tragic twist.
U Are the Universe is brilliant, from the writing and visuals to the characterisation. An accessible film to be enjoyed by sci-fi and rom-com fans alike, Pavlo Ostrikov should be commended for producing a feature film this skilfully under the conditions he faced.
Studying English and creative writing
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