Program Note
A Ukrainian space trucker, Andriy Melnyk, transports nuclear waste on the cargo ship to the abandoned Jupiter's moon Callisto. However, During his routine flight, the Earth explodes, Andriy becomes the last person in the universe. In the meantime, Melnik gradually forms a bond with Catherine, a French woman on a faraway space station, through exchanged messages - and eventually decides to set out to meet her in person U Are the Universe is set in the future but paradoxically combines a classic sensibility and themes. It’s a kind of melodrama unfolding in an unreal world. Rather than relying on spectacle, this film offers a heartfelt homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Solaris (1972), blending humor and pathos throughout. It contemplates the human condition - our search for hope even in extreme isolation, and our determination to hold on to optimism amid loneliness - achieving a joyful fusion of emotion and intellect. (CHO Jaewhee)