April 26th, 1986: the pivotal date for residents who live near the Chernobyl nuclear reactor.

Picture gallery

The Ukrainian winter was long as usual, and the residents of Pripiat, a small village near the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, are finally enjoying the warm weather. They lay around in the sun in front of the huge installation that provides, as promised by the communist government, electricity for everyone. But when a fire breaks out in the core the authorities keep it a secret. Anya (Olga Kurylenko) and Piotr have chosen this date to get married but it will also be their last day of happiness. As acid rain falls, the lives of this rural village are ruined forever.

Structures in before and after segments, this film by French-Israeli director Michale Boganim, goes from a fictional representation of life before the incident to an almost documentary style. In following Anya's destroyed life over a decade, the director travels through distinct periods, opening the doors of this abandoned village, which has become a soulless, sad destination for tourists drawn to disaster. This personal and intimate story is set in a wasteland where it's impossible to imagine life could once have been happy. A moving film that stays with you long after the closing credits.