On September 14, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Ukrainian Cinema, a tradition that has endured for many decades, even amidst the challenges of war. Remarkably, there is even room to explore the more outlandish themes of space.
Space in Ukrainian Cinema
Every second Saturday in September, Ukraine celebrates Cinema Day, a tribute to its rich cinematic heritage. Since the first footage was filmed in Ukraine in 1893, filmmakers have continually pushed boundaries, creating diverse feature and animated films which included the themes of space exploration.
We’ve selected five iconic Ukrainian films that feature stars, aliens, and interplanetary travel. These films offer a glimpse into how our perceptions about space have evolved, reflecting both our past and present views, and even hinting at future possibilities.
“How the Cossacks Met Aliens” (1987)
A significant milestone in the history of Ukrainian space films is undoubtedly How the Cossacks Met Aliens, produced by Kyivnaukfilm (Kyiv Science Film) in 1987. This film continues the popular animated comedy series depicting the adventures of three Zaporozhian Cossacks Hray, Oko, and Tur, who have previously traveled to a variety of outlandish locations.
In this installment, the plot centers around a flying saucer that crashes near the spot where the Cossacks are cooking porridge. For much of the cartoon, the saucer cleverly disguises itself as a boiler lid.
Though the saucer appears small from the outside, its interior is surprisingly roomy, accommodating three humanoid beings who closely resemble the main characters. The initial contact is friendly, and it’s soon revealed that the saucer’s warp engine has malfunctioned when the trio ran out of engine grease.
The group embarks on a quest in search of this rare substance on Earth. Though the whole thing is entirely silly, it’s still rather clever and amusing. The cartoon depicts both aliens and space as warm and friendly concepts, encouraging viewers to ponder the mysteries that might lie beyond our world.
“Invasion” (2009)
In 2009, two brothers from Cherkasy, Artem and Oleksandr Khakalo, released their science fiction film Invasion. The story unfolds in their hometown, which unexpectedly becomes the stage for a cosmic-scale event.
It’s revealed that back in 1970, humans made contact with an alien race known as the Rutoins. Having depleted their own planet’s resources, the Rutoins were in search of a new home. In secret negotiations, Earth’s governments agreed to sell our planet to the aliens in exchange for immortality. However, this deal came with one rather grim condition: the eradication of all those who were not part of the agreement.
Two Ukrainian students, inadvertently left on night duty in their college lab, become entangled in the unfolding events. The film’s amateur quality is evident, and the creators themselves admitted they hadn’t expected much from the actors. Instead, they focused on crafting their own special effects. As a result, the film relies heavily on familiar alien invasion tropes with the added seasoning of conspiracy theories. Their depiction of space is eerie, hostile, and follows the aesthetic of a low-budget horror flick.
“The Bobot” (2018)
As is typical in these stories, the fate of humanity hangs in the balance between evil aliens seeking to destroy it and good aliens fighting to prevent their plans. The film explores themes of energy production and its adverse effects on climate. Highlights include an epic showdown between transformer boxes and alien garbage trucks.
While conceptually rather out there, the film delivers exactly what you’d expect from a modern sci-fi flick for teenagers. It follows a familiar formula seen in Hollywood, where similar stories might receive mixed reviews but still generate millions at the box office.
The film’s main achievement is its ability to deliver a “Hollywood-style” adventure for children, all while being made in Ukraine. Its depiction of space is fraught with danger yet brimming with the excitement of exploration.
“Victor_Robot” (2020)
In September 2020, the animated film Victor_Robot premiered at the Odesa International Film Festival and was officially released the following summer. Unlike previous entries on our list, this film is not set on Earth but deep in space. Set in a distant future where humanity travels in space with ease, it follows an extraordinary scientist who builds a massive space station in the interstellar void, a structure so immense it rivals the size of entire planets.
Moreover, this space station operates entirely autonomously, producing everything needed for both machines and humans without any human involvement—a true robot utopia. When the creator of this extraordinary facility suddenly disappears, his granddaughter Vika and a small robot named Victor are thrust into the midst of extraordinary and mysterious events.
Victor_Robot may not be grounded in realism, but it shines as a charming children’s fairy tale set in the future. It celebrates machines with such affection and creativity that its array of mechanical wonders rivals those in many acclaimed feature films. In this respect, the animated film surpasses its global counterparts. The depiction of space is magical, sparking a desire to explore and conquer it, all while equipped with advanced machines you can trust not to turn against you.
“U Are the Universe” (2024)
Everything we’ve covered so far reflects the past of Ukrainian space films, but U Are the Universe marks their future. The film premiered on September 7, 2024, at the Toronto International Film Festival, but it won’t be widely released until spring 2025. For now, we can only form our impressions based on the official teaser.
Set in the distant future, the story follows Andrii Melnyk, a Ukrainian space truck driver, as he navigates his spaceship through deep space on a journey toward the nearest black hole.
Aside from Andrii, the only other crew member is an AI named Max. Their conversations are the film’s main focus. With Earth having exploded, Andrii often reflects on their situation and clashes with Max, adding depth and tension to their interactions.The film clearly draws inspiration from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Duncan Jones’ Moon. It will be fascinating to see how this Ukrainian take on space unfolds.
