Filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky premiered his three-hour biographical film Dau at the Venice Film Festival, revisiting decades of Soviet Union totalitarianism through the life of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Lev Landau. According to the filmmaker, the project was begun two decades ago and relies on unconventional methods, including actors and extras living permanently on a massive, full-scale reconstruction of a secret Soviet research institute.
The Monumental Scale and Production Methods of Dau
The film recounts the life of Lev Landau, one of the fathers of the Russian nuclear bomb who was forced by Soviet authorities to work on its development, spanning three decades between 1938 and 1968. Khrzhanovsky spent three years filming in Kharkiv, Ukraine, between 2008 and 2011, constructing a full-scale secret research institute where participants remained in character. According to the director, he wanted to make a movie about scientists who believed they would change the world, only to create the most terrible weapon capable of destroying everything on earth. The production is part of a larger multidisciplinary project that includes two other films premiering in 2020 at the Berlin International Film Festival, which faced accusations of abuse and harassment during the largely improvised shoots.
Did you know? Director Ilya Khrzhanovsky cast real ex-criminals—including judges and prosecutors who understood court protocols—for the film’s unscripted trial scenes, alongside actual neo-Nazis for the final sequences.
Political Controversy and Ukrainian Government Objections
The project faced severe backlash ahead of its Venice premiere. According to the filmmaker, Ukraine’s government accused the project of being linked to the Russian state and its influence networks, a claim Khrzhanovsky denies. The director stated to AFP that he is the only fiction film director on Ukraine’s list of enemies of the state and has no plans to return to Russia, adding that he sees no bright future for the country for at least the next ten years. Ukrainian authorities also criticized Khrzhanovsky for depicting Kharkiv as a Soviet city while it currently faces bombardment by Russian forces. Regarding financing, Khrzhanovsky acknowledged taking funds for the broader multidisciplinary project from Russian billionaire Sergei Adoniev, though he noted this occurred before the businessman was targeted by US sanctions over the Ukraine war.
Improvisation and Radical Casting Choices
The narrative follows the protagonist as his ideals of freedom and poetry are shattered by the brutality and constant surveillance of the Soviet machine, featuring painstakingly reconstructed famine-ravaged streets of Kharkiv and Stalinist trials. In one trial scene filmed without a script from beginning to end, Khrzhanovsky utilized individuals with firsthand experience of the legal system. According to the director, the people acting as judges and prosecutors were actual ex-criminals who knew court protocols, stating that he wanted to harness the tough nature of people meeting cultured individuals. Furthermore, the director hired real neo-Nazis for the film’s final scenes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the film Dau about?
The film recounts the life of Lev Landau, a brilliant physicist and 1962 Nobel Prize winner who helped develop the Soviet nuclear bomb, exploring decades of Soviet totalitarianism between 1938 and 1968.
Why has the film generated controversy?
According to reports, the Ukrainian government accused the project of links to Russian influence networks, and the filmmaker faced criticism for filming Kharkiv as a Soviet city while it undergoes current Russian bombardment. Previous screenings also faced accusations of abuse and harassment.
Who funded the project?
Khrzhanovsky acknowledged receiving financing for the broader multidisciplinary project from Russian billionaire Sergei Adoniev prior to him being targeted by US sanctions.
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