On Wednesday 17 June Manchester Met and SODA are co-hosting a screening of Rozpad at HOME Cinema in Manchester. 2026 marks 40 years after the disaster at the nuclear power plant in Chornobyl in Soviet Ukraine in 1986. Rozpad, which translates to English as Decay is the first feature film about the disaster at the power plant by Mykhailo Bielikov, 1990.
Paralleling the radioactive “decay” in the fallout of the disaster with the halt of modernity and the failing Soviet state, Rozpad explores relationships during the end of an era.
The screening includes an introduction by Stanislav Menzelevskyi (Indiana University Bloomington) and a post-screening discussion with Professor Olya Onuch, Professor in Comparative and Ukrainian Politics (University of Manchester, chair), myself and Olia Fedechko, Organisation of Ukrainian Women Manchester.
Thank you to HOME, and in particular Rachel, Phil and Laura for their involvement in the event. The screening is presented in partnership with BASU, The British Association of the Study of Ukraine, HOME and the Ukrainian Institute London. The event has been supported by the ENGAGE Fund from Manchester Metropolitan University. A particular thank you to the BASU Arts & Culture Working Group: Lauren (co-chair), Jeremy, Constance, Dasha and Vika.
Tickets are available on the HOME website here: https://www.homemcr.org/whats-on/rozpad-18-discussion-q1mz