Raspad (1990) - full transcript

CHERNOBYL: A large species of wormwood.
Its root is used to treat falling sickness.

Vladimir Dal,
Russian Dictionary.

Starring:
Sergei Shakurov

Directed by:
Mikhail Belikov

Good morning.

- Why have we stopped?
- There's no more track.

RASPAD (Disintegration)

Kiev, April 1986

Come on, you two.
Let's go!

- Is Dmitry asleep?
- I took him to your dad's.

- How's the old man?
- He's got a heart of gold.



Sasha, are you Greek
on your father's side,

or is it on your mother's?

His father's.
They are Mariupol Greeks.

Ludmila!

What's wrong?

What's happened?

Nothing.

Nothing's happened.

I just forgot...

I forgot...

I remembered everyone
except my own father.

He asked me to bring him
some soil.

He gave me a little bag.

"Nothing else...
Just a little soil" he said,



"from the land of my ancestors."

He even offered a scoop
to take with me.

All you can do
is wait for the next time.

Ask for another day's leave.

There may not be a next time.

That's true.

Sasha...

Why not give him our soil?
You can swap it later.

That's right. Our soil is
just as good as theirs.

My nephew works
for a transport company

who sell it in Europe
for hard currency!

Just find a clean spot
in the yard and have a dig.

Make sure
there are lots of pebbles.

My dear Greeks,
don't wash your tunics.

They're disposable.

Welcome home, Sasha!

Tolya rang.

He wants to come over
these holidays.

Tolya is a saint.

We'll ask him over.

I brought him souvenir.

Son!

- You're back, son!
- Hi, Dad.

Come in.

And you're not alone...
Here's Malysh!

Come in.

- What's it like there?
- A mess, like here.

A mess?

Come on in.
I'll give him some sausage.

For you.

- Let's see...
- A jumper.

Thanks.

It's pure wool.
For the rheumatism.

Thanks.

Is that all?

Don't worry.
I didn't forget.

I dug some up.
In Tripolis.

In the main square.

You really brought it!

Thanks, son.

I appreciate it.

Now I'm not afraid to die.

I bet you think
the old man is crackers!

When you're my age, you'll ask
your son for the same thing.

- How did he behave?
- He's the best!

And your wife's pretty good.

You're a lucky man...
a lucky man!

Ludmila!

Any idea
who could have written this?

He's an old squealer...
he was, and is.

- Who?
- Your daddy.

Who else could've written it?

"Our family
has never had a cuckold."

Who's the cuckold?
Me?

Oh, God...

A classmate of mine was here
and your old man dropped by.

Anyone I know?

No. But he must have thought
something was going on.

There must have been a reason.

What reason?

What reason did he have
to send people to prison?

This sudden need
for his native soil!

Sure. He's afraid to die here!

No one will come to his funeral.

Except perhaps to spit on him.

Stop it.
How long has he got to live?

Don't worry. He'll outlive
both of us.

His reason? A man in a pair
of underpants, that's all.

- Underpants? Why?
- Oh, God...

He spilt sardine oil,
so I washed his pants.

He was opening a can
and tipped it over.

I said I'd wash his pants.

Just then your dad walked in.

- That's funny...
- Not at all.

He's going to tell you
my friend left at sunrise.

I'm sure he was spying.

At sunrise?

Should he have left
with his pants still wet?

This Shurik is useful,
you know.

In what way?

He can be of help.

How?
He can get you sardines?

Anything.

- Who are you calling?
- Tolya.

Nuclear specialits' city.
Evening, 25th April, 1986.

Kolya, go to bed.
No one can wake you tomorrow.

Hello.
What Acropolis?

Hi, Ignat. It's Zhuravlyov.

Where are you calling from?

From Greece.

- How are things?
- Get Tolya.

Quick, get Uncle Tolya.

- Did you bring anything?
- Yes.

- What exactly?
- "Greece has it all."

Good for you.
Here he is.

It's Zhuravlyov.

Hi, Archimedes.
How do you feel?

Excellent. While I was away
my wife cheated on me.

I told you not to marry
a younger woman.

But, you know...
That's life.

Is it? All right, we'll
sort it out when I come over.

Wait, I'll be there soon.
Bye.

- Won't you eat with us?
- No, I'm late for work.

- I'm on night shift too.
- I can give you a lift.

It's all right, I'm driving
Maria to her mother's.

At this hour?

We're planting potatoes
early in the morning.

- Good luck.
- Hold this...

Look at that driving.

They must be training.
They like their war games.

I'll give you a shot
and you'll be fine.

Don't worry.

They shouldn't have
bothered you.

They want me in a hospital.

What are you saying?
We're just trying to help.

Good.

Thank you.

Look, doctor, we're getting
married tomorrow.

I can smell it.

- How about a drop?
- No, but a smoke...

A smoke? Just turn left
into the kitchen.

Yes, we're preparing.
You know how it is.

Doctor...

You know...

The thing is...

Doc...

Could you take him
for a week?

What do you mean?

With the wedding and all...

The noise, the drinking...

We're all in one room,
and he's an old man.

Don't worry.

Don't worry.

- He'll outlive both of us.
- Will he?

Trust me.

I understand.

What could they be doing?

I don't like the look of it.

Petrovich, let's follow them.

The nuclear Power Station.
Fourth reactor, 26th April, 3.12 AM.

What happened, Ignat?

What happened?

Can you hear me?
What's wrong with you?

Tolya...

Are you in pain?
Where does it hurt?

- It's like I'm at a resort.
- What are you saying?

I'm asking you,
where does it hurt?

Nowhere.

My face is burning.
It's like sunburn.

It's burning a lot.

I feel...

The reactor's exploded.

We have to evacuate
the complex.

It's only the structure.

Throw water on the reactor.
Radioactivity?

1000 micro-roentgens
per second.

They should check their device.

- It's lying.
- The device is fine.

There's graphite on the ground!

What graphite?

The men are vomiting...
They're passing out.

- There may be radiation.
- There's no radiation.

The reactor is intact.

Find out where Maria is.

Kolya is there...
alone.

Let's go.

Did you know him?

Did I know Ignat?
Yes, I did.

We grew up
on the same lock.

The two of us
and Sasha Zhuravlyov.

Kiev.
26th April, 4.17 AM.

What's wrong?

Is Dmitry my son, at least?

He's yours. Relax.

"The slender pines
are rustling."

"The bright sun is rising."

Don't come near.
It could be dangerous.

A blast at the Station.
Save the children.

Goodbye.

Tolya!

Where are you going?

Children, the lesson is over.

Quickly collect your things
and go home.

Where are you off to?
Back to your classrooms!

What are you doing?
Who let you do this?

There's been a blast
at the Station.

Everyone must be sent home.
Do you want to finish them?

Nuclear specialists' city.
Morning, 26th April. 4km from the Station.

Stop the game.

Go home!

Who am I talking to?

Listen to me!

Stop this!

Go home immediately.

Take your children indoors.

Shut your windows.

Wake up, you people!

It's dangerous
to stay outside.

Comrades!

Don't you know
what's happened?

Nothing!

Who told you to spread
panic among the people?

Do we need instructions
in this situation?

In what situation?

Are you mad? Don't you
know what's happened?

Nothing has happened.

How dare you spoil
the festive Saturday mood?

We've scheduled 20 weddings
and we'll celebrate them all.

Bye, Grandpa, have fun.

All citizens are
to board the buses

designated for their
block of flats.

Please proceed
in an orderly fashion.

I repeat.
There is one bus per block.

Please maintain order
whilst boarding.

Yes?

The bridge has
the worst contamination.

Speed up 300 metres
before it, and don't stop.

Yes.

Take two or three days' food,
and money and documents.

Is this an excursion
to the country?

Yes.
We'll explain on the bus.

Why aren't you coming out?

- I'm waiting for my mum.
- Where is she?

She's gone to the village
with the baby.

And where's your dad?

He's not back from work yet.

Come on now, we'll meet
your mother on the way.

Attention, citizens,
I repeat...

Take only bare essentials
for two to three days.

Hurry up.

There's a woman with a baby.
Stop. Stop!

Stop!
There's a woman out there!

Not on the bridge...
we can't!

Accelerate... we can't
stop on the bridge!

Kiev, 105km
from the Station.

What happened?

I couldn't, over the phone...

What?

That Station you wrote about
had an explosion.

- Who said?
- Shurik.

You're an idiot.
And those are stupid rumors!

They're not rumors. Shurik
doesn't lie. It's the end!

Shut up.

No one even knows.
Do something!

- Go home.
- Think of Dmitry.

I said, go home!

- Well, are you sending me?
- But you've just returned.

Now what?

- You know what I mean.
- No, I don't.

- The Station.
- Yet another holiday article?

What's the holiday?

- Don't you know anything?
- No.

There's been an explosion
at the Power Station.

Some were killed.

A commission's been set up.

Zhuravlyov!

Who do you take me for?

An explosion? Deaths?

The Department just rang,

asking about
our holiday schedule.

An explosion!

Yes.

Yes, Yury Nikolayevich?

Yes.

Sure. Forty-seven countries...
an international cycling race.

Yes. We'll send a reporter.

Absolutely.

Well?

What do you say, Zhuravlyov?

Tolya!

Maria, what...

Kolya is there.

- Tell Ignat...
- Quiet.

Don't worry.
You'll see him in Moscow.

Tell Ignat
to collect my pay.

Where's your little girl?

I don't know.

Don't just stand there.
Carry her in!

Bastards!

Bastards!

Unfortunately...

False information is being
willfully disseminated

about the evacuation
of children,

the numerous victims...

Comrades, our aim
is to prevent panic

and to curtail
any such rumors.

Antonov, "Gosteleradio".

What is the radiation level
in the city today?

Radioactivity is below
the acceptable level.

Then why are we told
to shut our windows?

Comrades!

The main lesson we've learned
from this accident

is that it's necessary
to fight for solidarity

in the struggle to destroy
nuclear weapons.

Kololyova, "Soviet Woman".

A question
for Comrade Vasilenko.

When will the people
return to the evacuated city?

We think they'll return
after the neutralization...

within a very short time.

More questions, comrades?

He's asking whether
the Americans' health

could be affected by
the Chernobyl accident.

In the aftermath of your
Three Mile Island accident

the Soviet people's health
wasn't affected, was it?

Dad...

I want a radish.

Here.

Get lost.

Where do you want to go?

Out on the boulevard.

- He wants to go out.
- He can't.

- Why not, Sasha?
- Dad...

- The things I heard today...
- I heard too.

On the "Voice of the Enemy".
They're a bit much.

I'll change phones.

Come on.

Sasha, put the phone down.

To your health.

Sasha, hang up.

Another one.

The boy wants to go outside.

Go anywhere you like.

Malysh...

Malysh, let's go!

It's terrible! You don't
even know what it is!

What can I do?
What?

Gel tickets, send us away.

Where to?
Where can I send you?

Why not to the land
of your ancestors?

- Contaminated
- Evacuation centre.

We can wash them, and play.

They're no good now.
Next.

Captain!

What have you got there?

Undress.

Straight ahead...
Into your buses.

Is there such a thing...

as complete safety,
under the circumstances?

It's possible that any
dose of radiation,

no matter how small
it may be,

may affect the further
development of the fetus.

However,
genetic abnormalities

are not likely to occur
in the first generation.

It's different for the second
and third generations.

For that reason, the departments
and ministries concerned

have no special instructions
about producing children.

Mummy.

How did you get in here?

- How did you get in?
- I'm looking for my mother.

You'd better get out of here.

An artificial termination
of pregnancy

is therefore a necessity.

But because the situation
is unprecedented,

the Health Department
does not wish to oppose

the individual choices
made by patients.

Attention!

Kiev.

Ticket Office No. 28,
on the second floor,

has been opened
for mothers and children only.

Attention...

A further ticket office,
No. 8a on the first floor,

has been opened
for the disabled.

Don't stand around...
What's your problem?

- Where's the stationmaster?
- That's me.

I'm a journalist.
A journalist, I tell you!

Then write! Write, write...

- It may bring order.
- Wait a minute!

You? A hero of the USSR?
There's your ticket office.

And there's one for cripples.
Get moving, comrades!

A doctor told me it's the end.

What?

- I was told to take iodine.
- Don't do it!

Never!

Do you mind?

Dmitry!

Dmitry!

Sasha!

Sorry, old man.

Is your brother around?

He's in Moscow.
And I can't get out.

Neither can I.
I want to get my family out.

- Even telegrams don't help.
- What telegrams?

Tolya died.

What?

Mister...
Do you need any tickets?

- What?
- Tickets?

- Yes.
- Let's go.

Let go of me!

- Where to?
- Have you got Moscow?

- I've even got Rio.
- Two to Mariupol.

Moscow...

Mariupol.

Here you are.
But Zhdanov is safer.

- Don't worry, they're real.
- How much?

It's three tickets...

- 150 each.
- Is that milliliters of vodka?

Rubles.

Are you mad?

What do you mean,
you bastard?

24km North-West
of the Station.

Lyuba!

Is Berezhkovichi
far from here?

Where is it?

That way.

What's there?

Mother sent us there
because of radiation.

It is forbidden
to leave the road.

Grandpa, what's going on?

- Where's everyone going?
- Hell knows.

They say it's
some kind of radiation.

It's deserted.

Do you like it?

I do.

We'll live here, then.

Can you milk a cow?

No.

It's all right.
You'll learn.

Monitoring officers,
check out the site!

Come out, old man.
10,000 for your hut!

There's no one here.
It's locked.

It's over the limit, Captain.

Get back on, fast!

CONTAMINATED

Should I shoot the cow?

She'll be dead by morning.

Don't.

Don't cry, Lyuba...

Why us?

Calm down.

Lyuba, calm down.

I love you, Lyuba.

Don't cry, darling, don't.

It'll be all right.
It's all right

Everything will be all right.

Lyuba, don't...

It's all right now.

I love you.

18km from the Station.
Easter Sunday. May.

CHRIST IS RISEN

You shouldn't.

It's a sin.
You can't eat that.

O Lord of Sacred Truth,

Can you continue
Not to judge and punish

Those on this earth

For spilling blood?

Captain, where are
the Party organs?

The Party's there,
the organs aren't.

How's that?

The Party
has lost its organs.

Your suitcase, Father.

Christ is risen,
Defying death by death

And to those entombed
He hath granted life.

Christ our True God,
Through the purest prayers

Of His immaculate Mother
And all Saints,

Will have mercy and save us,

For He is good and loving.

- Christ is risen.
- Risen indeed.

- Christ is risen.
- Risen indeed.

Good people,
help us.

Don't let the holy icons
come to harm.

- Take this, son.
- I can't. I'm a Party member.

So?

They're glowing!

But that's a good thing.

Hang on.

See?

See how much?

Leave it.

- What do you want?
- Forgive us, Father.

I don't know...

Quickly.

We love each other.

This is mad...
Marry us.

Come on, kids.
This isn't the time.

Please do it.

My children,
may God save you.

- They're waiting.
- Forgive me.

We really know how to love
while suffering.

Only through suffering.

We don't know
how else to love.

It's the only love we know.

- Who is "we"?
- All of us.

Th Slavs, in the widest
sense of the word.

- The Jews too?
- Them too.

And nowadays, they drink
as much as we do.

"The Oblomovs' household
was in turmoil."

- "Oblonsky's household."
- Whatever.

A fried cock has to peck
a Russian's bum

to make him scratch his head.

But really,
what's the big deal?

Two people died,
thirty are critical.

And yet millions of people
die annually on the roads.

And hundreds of thousands
die of starvation.

To the table!

Kiev.

Here...

Shall we expel the strontium
from our systems?

Then it's time for the Cabernet.

Where's your glass?

Just a drop for me.

- That must be Shurik.
- Who's Shurik?

A classmate.

If you want to save your boy,
get out of Kiev.

The officials' families have
gone. Kiev will close tonight.

There'll be another explosion.

- Christ is risen.
- Risen indeed.

Not a word to anyone.

Good evening.

This is Shurik.

- Hello. Christ is risen.
- Risen indeed.

Come with me.

- Not for me, thanks.
- As you wish.

I'll kill you if you tell...
An explosion is certain.

The city will suffer
worse than Hiroshima.

The roads are blocked.
This is the end.

Don't you dare tell anyone.

It's awful...

Sasha, help me.

It's impossible to get out.

At the markets they're
checking for radiation...

What radiation?

Close the door.

Shurik gave me such a shock.
We must leave.

Urgently.

They say we should only take
gold and stones.

Where from, stupid?

Give me the vodka.

I can't stand it any more!

This is the end.

Perhaps...
it's time for a toast.

It's Easter Sunday, after all.

I may be an atheist,

but there's still no better
reason for a party.

Come on, friends.

Who knows if we'll meet
next time?

- Christ is risen.
- Risen indeed.

Christ is risen...

Ludmila's told me
such good things about you.

She loves you very much.

It's a shame you and I
didn't meet earlier.

I never knew she had such
wonderful classmates.

- Christ is risen.
- Risen indeed.

Ladies and gentlemen,
let's drink!

Nature can't stand emptiness.

Really?

We'll all die in an earthquake.

- Why's that?
- Simple.

They'll pump out all the gas,
minerals and oil.

There'll be hollows,
and nature can't stand that.

So what can we do?

We'll die in a way
that befits educated people.

I suggest a course...

"Soviet death is the most
dignified in the world."

Make it a diploma course.

Shurik...

I need your opinion
as a "useful person".

What shall we do with those
who've made all this mess?

I'd shoot them all.

They don't do that any more.
Today it's uranium mines.

We've got a uranium mine
of our own right here.

You're wrong.

They should all be shot.

- And I should be, too.
- Why you?

We're all guilty.

Everyone's to blame
for what's happening now.

How did this mess start?

A son sells his father.

A mother's ready to
murder half the world

for the sake of her
idiotic daughter.

Intrigues, lies, libel...

Violence...

Sleeping with a friend's wife
is no big deal.

Being an idiot
is a prerequisite

for taking
a superior's position.

And the bribe takers...

They sit on their fat bums,

unable to put
two words together.

But their eyes say
"give me, give me..."

Why?
It wasn't like this before.

It's always been like this.
People want to live well.

But this is the end.
The end. That's it.

This can't go on.
Something must be done.

There's no need
to do anything.

It will pass.
As all things have done.

Oh, no.

That won't do.

I want everyone charged
at the Last Judgment!

Only by living through
what we've lived through

can we regain
our human face

and become normal people!

Tell me, Shurik, but only
between you and me...

Should we leave this place?

The city closes at midnight.

You're in a mouse-trap...
stuck.

Really?

I should be asking you
whether it's true or not.

Your newspapers printed
two lines only.

"Two people killed."
A line per person. Bastards!

Your fucking cycling race
is on the box non-stop!

Shurik!

I'm a cuckold
and you're a scoundrel.

Sardine oil on his trousers...

Look at me.

How do you like my horns?

You'd think they've
always been there.

I just never noticed.

I'll take your boy tomorrow.

I propose a dance.

The cuckolds invite
the ladies...

Stop being an idiot
and listen to me.

Tomorrow Shurik leaves
to stay with relatives.

He's agreed to take
me and Dmitry along.

Shurik!
You're a real friend.

Yes. A true friend.

Indeed, when there's trouble
you know who your friends are.

You've done so much
for our family...

Please do us
one more favour.

I want a pass to the zone.

The one with the red stripe
that says "EVERYWHERE"?

Okay. I'll do it.

Thanks.

The pass.

"I volunteered. "

It must be hard
to get to be first.

The lucky ones
can sacrifice themselves.

One of those lucky few
is your obedient servant.

I volunteered to die with
the other representatives

of our glorious epoch.

- Seriously?
- Yes!

30km zone. Checkpoint.

Soviet radiation
is the best in the world

Look!

Where did he come from?

MOTHER I'M HERE.
COME BACK, I'M WAITING.

The zone.
Nuclear specialists' city.

Sasha...

Don't you recognise me,
Sasha?

Tolya! You...

You have ninety seconds.

You can go faster,
but not slower.

I need you alive.

Check everything... get ready.

Go up to the roof quickly
without stopping.

This place is the worst.

We'll run through that area.

We go here...

Along the roof...
The distance is two metres.

I repeat,
you have ninety seconds.

It's all been calculated.
There's no risk involved.

Don't remove your masks.

Double-check your gear.

Watch the time,
and remember...

The whole world
is looking.

"The last decisive battle..."

Run! After me!

Forward!

Faster,
time's running out!

Forward!

Go on, measure it.
Measure away.

I can take it off,
but give it back to me.

Take it off.

It's squeaking!

Six hundred,
seven hundred...

- Well?
- Wait, granny.

Nine hundred...
one thousand.

One thousand two hundred...

One thousand two hundred!

That's twelve times
the acceptable level.

Kiev, Autumn, 1986.
Chief Editor's office.

Dad.
I'm going home.

Do you need anything?
Buttermilk?

All right.

Kiev are the champions!

DINAMO! DINAMO...

Sasha...

Were you there?

Where's our son?

Don't worry, I took him
to his grandfather's.

You brought him back here?

Forgive me, Sasha.

I can't live without you,
or grandfather.

He cried when he saw us.

I don't care what happens
as long as we're together.

It's Shurik.

Hi.

Hello.

Hello?

Your father's asking
about the buttermilk.

Did you buy the buttermilk?

I forgot.

He bought it.

Subtitles: Irene Ulman,
Nick Shimmin, Tanya Ryvchin

Subtitles: Copyright 1992
SBS, Australia