Atlantis (2019 film)
A post-war Ukraine seen through a veteran's eyes.
Atlantis (Ukrainian: «Атлантида», romanized: Atlantyda) is a 2019 Ukrainian dystopian post-apocalyptic film directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych. Set in a near-future Ukraine after a war with Russia, it follows a former soldier grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder. The film earned positive reviews and took home the Best Film prize in the Horizons Extra section at the 76th Venice International Film Festival.
The story centers on Sergiy, a retired soldier with PTSD trying to get by in Eastern Ukraine. The year is 2025, one year after the war with Russia ended. He works at a smelter alongside Ivan, a fellow veteran and friend; both are shunned by coworkers who blame them for the war that wrecked the region. Sergiy and Ivan still train as if the conflict continues, wearing combat uniforms and competing in high-stress target shooting. Ivan dies by suicide in a smelting pot, and the factory soon closes due to economic liberalization making it unprofitable. Sergiy then takes a job driving a water truck, delivering to areas where war pollution has made local water undrinkable. He struggles to adjust until he meets Katya, a former archaeologist now volunteering with the Black Tulip Mission, a group that exhumes and identifies war dead. After saving a member of an environmental NGO from a mine, Sergiy is offered a way out, but the ending implies he chooses to stay with the Black Tulip Mission. The film is bookended by thermal-camera scenes: one shows the killing of a captured sniper (later exhumed), and the other shows Sergiy and Katya embracing.
No professional actors were cast; instead, roles were filled by veterans, volunteers, and soldiers. Andriy Rymaryk, a former military scout who fought in the Donbas and now works for the Ukrainian NGO Come Back Alive, played a lead role. Paramedic Liudmyla Bileka and volunteer Vasyl Antoniak also appeared. Filming took place mainly in Mariupol from January to March 2018.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 97% approval rating from 36 reviews, with an average score of 7.7/10.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Valentyn Vasyanovych
- Producer
- Iya Myslytska / Vladimir Yatsenko / Valentyn Vasyanovych / Rostyslav Martyniuk
- Starring
- Andriy Rymaruk / Liudmyla Bileka / Vasyl Antoniak
- Distributor
- Arthouse Traffic
- Released
- 4 September 2019 · Venice
- Runtime
- 106 minutes
- Country
- Ukraine
- Language
- Ukrainian
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film follows Sergiy, a retired soldier with PTSD, in Eastern Ukraine in 2025, one year after the end of a war with Russia. He works at a smelter with a friend, Ivan, but both are ostracized by coworkers. After Ivan's suicide and the factory's closure, Sergiy drives a water truck delivering to areas where war pollution has made water unpotable. He meets Katya, a former archaeologist working for the Black Tulip Mission, a volunteer organization exhuming war dead. After saving an environmental NGO member from a mine, Sergiy is implied to remain with the mission.
Reader's Guide
Atlantis gained renewed attention three years after its release with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which the film had fictionally depicted the aftermath of. Its subject matter—an all-out war between Ukraine and Russia in which Ukraine holds back a superior Russian force—was seen by some critics and audiences as prophetic. The film was selected as the Ukrainian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards but was not nominated. It holds a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 85, indicating universal acclaim. Critics praised its visionary quality and bleak yet touching outlook, though some found its long, static takes cold.
Did You Know?
- None of the roles were played by actors; instead, veterans, volunteers, and soldiers performed, including former military scout Andriy Rymaryk.
- The film was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the setting of Atlantis (2019)?
The narrative unfolds in 2025 in Eastern Ukraine, just one year after a war with Russia has concluded, painting a bleak picture of a society still reeling from the conflict.
Who is the protagonist of Atlantis (2019)?
The story centers on Sergiy, a former soldier battling PTSD who takes work at a smelter alongside a woman named Iva as he struggles to rebuild his life in the post-war landscape.
What awards did Atlantis (2019) receive?
The film was awarded Best Film in the Horizons section at the 76th Venice International Film Festival and drew broadly positive critical reception.
Why is Atlantis (2019) notable in the post-apocalyptic genre?
Rather than depicting a generic global catastrophe, it anchors its dystopian world in the very real aftermath of a regional war in Ukraine, using the genre lens to examine a veteran's psychological survival.
More in Post-apocalyptic films 1-18
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced