As part of Fantastic Fest, I had the special opportunity to preview the new Ukrainian science fiction film U Are the Universe and I absolutely loved it, quickly becoming one of my favorite movies of the year. After the film, I had the privilege to interview writer-director Pavlo Ostrikov and we had a great conversation. Watch below as we dive into the movie’s themes of depression, hope, love, along with the production history, budget challenges, deleted scenes, influences, the talent of solo actor Volodymyr Kravchuk, and more!
You can watch the interview below and check out the official teaser for U Are The Universe here. Please remember to comment, like and subscribe to our channel on YouTube @thecosmiccircus!
U Are The Universe interview timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 00:45 – Vin’s reaction to seeing U Are The Universe
- 01:50 – The writer/director’s journey to making this film
- 04:00 – Challenges to making this sci-fi film during the Ukrainian-Russian war.
- 08:53 – The robot, CGI and sets in the film
- 13:00 – What movies did he take inspiration from?
- 16:00 – The love story in U Are The Universe
- 17:00 – Finding the right actor to lead this film: Volodymyr Kravchuk
- 22:18 – Favorite behind the scenes moments or bloopers from filming.
- 26:00 – Film is a strong statement from Ukrainian film
- 28:48 – What is he working on next?
- 31:40 – Where to find him on social media, Outro
You can find the audio version of this podcast at Cosmic Circus Podcasts or most places podcasts are available. If you’d like find more of our Fantastic Fest coverage, check out our YouTube channel here!
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