Monday, April 6, 2020

SF WEEKEND: RUSSIAN APOCALYPTIC SERIES VONGOZERO: THE OUTBREAK AND SF THRILLER THE BLACKOUT ARE STRANGELY PORTINENT TO OUR CURRENT SITUATION

    'VONGOZERO: THE OUTBREAK' 
WHEN VIRUS HITS MOSCOW
Outbreak premièred last November in Russia
I'm quite sure that, back when they were producing it a year or so ago, the writers of Russian science fiction apocalyptic series VONGOZERO: THE OUTBREAK did not really anticipate the events that are happening around the world right now. The series, which premiered at last year's Canneseries in April and took part in the official competition, streamed on Russia's internet platform Premier last winter, is based on the bestselling book Vongozero by Yana Vagner which was translated into more than ten languages around the world. It was also turned into a feature length movie. Check out the English subed trailer below and tell us what you think.
The series consists of eight episodes

Outbreak set against the backdrop of a global catastrophe, portrays an unknown virus that quickly paralyses Moscow and turns it into a city of the dead. There is no electricity, money has lost all value and those who are still not infected, are desperately fighting for food and fuel. Sergey (Kirill Karo), accompanied by his new lover and her autistic son, as well as his ex-wife, his own son and several other companions, are trying to escape beyond the borders of the quarantine to reach a hunting lodge on a remote, uninhabited island in Karelia where they
The series and film were based on a book by Yana Vagner
can begin life anew. However, escape is only half the battle, as they must learn to live with each other. Both the global outbreak and Sergey's family dramas put their journey in jeopardy.



    'THE BLACKOUT' 
 WILL HUMANKIND SURVIVE?
Somewhere around the same time, last year in November, Russian cinemas also played their sf thriller THE BLACKOUT (aka Avanpost) and it
The Blackout aired last winter in cinemas
had its UK release in December. It was one of the first such films in Russia and it took years to produce.  No meteorites hit Earth, no terrorists put the world in danger, no atomic war was started, but something did go wrong. Contact between most towns on Earth has been severed. A small ring-like area in Eastern Europe still has electricity, and signs of life are being reported from the Space. What military forces find outside the Ring is shocking. There are dead corpses everywhere: in stores, in cars, on roads, in hospitals and railway stations. Who or what is destroying all life on Earth? How long will the last outpost of mankind survive?

13 comments:

  1. When you said "russian TV show", that reminds me of Chernobyl (2019). I really enjoyed it, think that it only has 6 episodes. I have a feeling you didn't miss it.

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    1. That wasn't a Russian show, but an American one :) which is why I did not watch it, it was a Western propaganda. Don't think there was much truth in it.

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    2. I'm aware of the fact that it's not - that's why I used quotation marks above :) I can live without knowing the real, actual truth and just enjoy the story, someone's vision and good execution. But that's just me, Dez.

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    3. But it is dangerous when someone's vision and execution falsify history or hurt another culture or people in order to achieve an agenda. My own country was often the victim of Western propaganda, so I'm probably sensitive to it and view it differently. It can ruin lives, cause wars, cause deaths.... you name it.

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    4. Oh believe me, I get that, I undestand your situation very well. But, at one moment, you just gotta put those things aside and try to go through life without overthinking or being close-minded. It gets tiring after some time. But hey, it is your life and your choice.

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  2. I don't think I could watch The Outbreak right now. These times are scary enough as it is, this would only up my anxiety. A lot of people are watching Contagion on Netflix right now, but I am trying to avoid watching things like that. My mind would go into overdrive and I'd probably start thinking the worst of other humans.

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    1. Yes, many people are already on the edge, when you pass by them in the street some will give you a very wide berth as if everyone you pass by in the street is potential death spreader :) Meanwhile, some others are overly relaxed. I put my mask on when I go to the shop once a week, but I hate it as it fogs up my glasses and I don't see anything :(

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    2. I did drive some face masks to my mom's house and still kept the 6 foot distance. I'm treating everyone as if they've got cooties and they're trying to kill me off. I've only had contact with Jason and Allison for over a month.

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    3. But you have an excuse, deary, as you have a sensitive immune system. I probably shouldn't venture out of the house either, even a flu could kill my heart, but I don't have a choice, and I need a walk a week.

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  3. The Outbreak looks interesting. I am watching more and more foreign (non-Hollywood) films in the last several years. It's interesting to see each country has their own film making style. Just scared watching anything epidemic/pandemic related at the moment. I haven't even watched the movie Contagion yet.

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    1. We've started out as a Hollywood site, but as years progressed and the quality of their films went dramatically down, we turned into world's number one site for all films and series international :) With today's streamers and torrents, everybody can watch them in every part of the world.

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  4. Is Russia trying to tell us something? I'm not sure I'd want to watch this film right now, although it has put stuff into perspective that things can be a lot worse for humanity.

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