Dead Man’s Letters (1986)

A post-apocalyptic narrative by Russian filmmaker Konstantin Lopushansky – Tarkovsky’s protégé – about perseverance and (dis)hope in the midst of radical chaos and devastion.

In the wake of a nuclear disaster, a small group of survivors, forced to stay in an underground bunker, tries to maintain some hope in this new, post-apocalyptic world. Among them is Professor Larsen (Rolan Bykov) a renowned physicist who, while trying to care for his sick wife, writes letters to his missing son. Through these intimate letters we gain insight into his deepest memories, concerns and philosophical reflections on how humanity has made it come this far.

The fact that the release of Dead Man’s Letters in 1986 coincided with the Chernobyl disaster makes this film all the more disturbing today and emphasizes the visionary character of this masterpiece.

This film is part of THE FUTURE WE LIVE IN series to be seen in March and April in De Uitkijk.

The people at de Uitkijk have kindly offered a limited amount of free tickets for Subbacultcha members. Please make a reservation by sending an email to mailinglist@subbacultcha.nl with “Dead Man’s Letters” in the subject line + your name in the email.” in the subject line + your name in the email.