The presentation of the film was organized in collaboration with the Slavutych city administration for the liquidators and direct participants of the events in 2022. It aimed to gather initial impressions before showing the film to a broader audience in Ukraine and worldwide. The Ukrainian Cultural Fund supported the film's creation.
The main feature of this project is the use of a unique VR (virtual reality) format, which allows viewers not only to watch the film but also to be part of the events, virtually experiencing and feeling the emotions related to the Chornobyl accident and contemporary events at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. This innovative format opens up new possibilities for documentary filmmaking, inviting visitors to become direct participants in the story and, thanks to virtual reality headsets, to travel through time and space.
The film's trailer
The project's director, Valeriy Korshunov, and the project's producer, Svitlana Korshunova, had already presented the VR project "Doba Persha" at the Venice Biennale earlier this year, and they became winners at the Biennale Cinema College. Additionally, the VR film "Chernobyl: Back to the Future" was also showcased at the National Chornobyl Museum, where every visitor can watch the film using VR headsets. Most importantly, the film is expected to be featured at international film festivals.
"Work on the film 'Chernobyl: Back to the Future' began before the full-scale invasion. Initially, it was planned as a scientific and educational 360-degree stereo video for all VR headsets about the most popular tourist destination in Ukraine - Chornobyl, to prepare visitors contextually and provide an understanding of the true history of Chornobyl while debunking Russian fakes and propaganda. However, everything changed on February 24th, 2022 - now, the story of Chornobyl cannot be told without the occupation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants by the Russians and the nuclear threat they pose to the world today. This film aims to uphold historical truth and raise the question: what future awaits us if Russia's nuclear terrorism goes unpunished?" says the project's director, Valeriy Korshunov.
Valeriy Korshunov, Svitlana Korshunova
This film will become a Ukrainian and English immersive VR experience and content for VR headsets, which can be viewed from anywhere in the world after its festival screenings. The main goal of the VR film "Chernobyl: Back to the Future" is to increase awareness among Ukrainian and international audiences about the current state and true history of Chornobyl while debunking Russian fakes and propaganda.
To learn more about the film, you can visit the project's social media pages:
