When I grew up everyone lived in the constant hysterical fear of danger and deadliness of nuclear power plants. And I wanted to see it from another angle – still without avoiding dark history of this industry but talk more about people, who live side by side with peaceful atom from generation to generation, despite all the negative buzz around it.

Moreover, I wanted to put them, practical and pragmatic people, to the slightly absurd and theatrical circumstances. And still, after complete research of this subject. I'm talking through the things which more close to me than nuclear energy. Like a cunning student on the exam who doesn't know the answer tries to change the conversation to the familiar topics, I clashed my own extensive theatrical experience and short and deep surveillance with the problems of these people.

Vasily Barkhatov

Director's Biography

Vasily Barkhatov born in Moscow in 1983. In 2004, internship at the Komiche Oper in Berlin, producer Peter Konvichniy. In 2005, graduated from the Russian Academy of Theatre Art (GITIS), Faculty of Musical Theatre Directors (studio by R.Ya.Nemchinskaya). Vasily Barkhatov is the Youngest Russian theater director, who stage operas in Bolshoy Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre and another theatres all around the world. "ATOMIC IVAN" is his first feature film.

Victoria Gromik