“DAU”

THE STORY – Inspired by the physicists who built the Soviet atomic bomb, the film DAU follows a brilliant Greek-born physicist from 1928 through four tumultuous decades in the USSR. Driven to uncover the laws of the universe, the idealistic Dau is drawn into state service to help create one of history’s deadliest weapons. Inside a secret research institute, life is governed by scientific ambition, power, surveillance and privilege. As his autonomy erodes, Dau seeks freedom beyond his marriage through a succession of affairs, gradually losing both himself and his capacity to love. At once an intimate portrait of a man in pursuit of happiness and freedom and a vast fresco of a society founded on violence and ideology, DAU traces the small compromises that shape a life and alter the course of history.

THE CAST – Teodor Currentzis, Radmila Shchogolieva, Anatoly Vasiliev, Maria Nafpliotou, Vladimir Azhippo, Dmitri Tcherniakov, Dmitry Cheglakov, Demian Kudryavtsev, Ekaterina Andreeva, Victoriia Skytska & Konstantin Leshan

THE TEAM – Ilya Khrzhanovsky (Director/Writer), Susanne Marian Vladimir Sorokin & Ilia Permyakov (Writers)

THE RUNNING TIME – 195 Minutes

Few countries in the world have a modern history defined by change, evolution, and reinvention as strongly as Russia. In a single century, the country has progressed from an autocratic monarchy in the early 1900s to a functioning single-party Communist state under the Soviet Union, and later to the capitalist republic it remains today. This was a country defined by its continued attempts to build a new national order and discover its place in the world, which ultimately resulted in an enormous amount of bloodshed, corruption, and exploitation.

Through his sprawling historical epic “Dau”, writer/director Ilya Khrzhanovsky explores the mercurial state of 20th-century Russian politics through the lens of a single individual: a Greek-born science genius who rose through the ranks of the Soviet machine to develop atomic weapons for the state. While its characters and their relationships are largely fictional, “Dau” is heavily inspired by real-life individuals who fuelled the Soviet Union’s nuclear arms program in the ‘40s and ‘50s. It’s a story of sacrifice, ambition, and consequences that tells not just the story of one man, but of an entire country fighting for survival—and the horrors it inflicts on its people in the process.

“Dau” is an enormous historical epic; with a runtime that sits comfortably over three hours, it’s safe to say that Khrzhanovsky’s film demands a lot from the audience. The story takes the viewer on an extensive journey through the politics, poverty, science, and secrecy of the Soviet Union throughout its existence, without offering much levity to ease the experience. It’s an admirably bold film that doesn’t simplify itself to make it more accessible; instead, it presents this deeply personal and visceral story in a way that’s often difficult to stomach. There are lengthy scenes of brutal, graphic police torture, weighted debates about the importance of nuclear deterrence in the modern world, and many uncomfortable sexual scenes that explore mental illness and its origins.

The film can be an extremely challenging watch, and its daunting runtime doesn’t make that any easier. However, Khrzhanovsky does a brilliant job breaking the story into bite-sized chunks that audiences can digest individually before weaving them into a more holistic, multi-faceted portrait of Russian history. “Dau” is essentially split into chapters that each present a different period of the protagonist’s life, divided by time and location. Dau’s early years are marked by poverty and revolt, set against a groaning post-rebellion Russia that’s laying the foundations of its new identity. From there, we move to Dau’s years as a professor, teaching physics to the next generation of Russian scientists. That takes us into his confidential work alongside the KGB as one of the leading minds behind Russia’s atomic warfare program, and finally, his years in exile after a lengthy imprisonment for treason.

Despite the overwhelming scale and ambition of this story, “Dau” manages to remain very engaging and compelling throughout. Teodor Currentzis’ fierce lead performance ensures the audience can always relate to Dau in some way, whether emotionally or intellectually—despite the many missteps his character makes throughout the story. “Dau” isn’t interested in painting the portrait of an unsung scientific hero who defined the trajectory of Russia’s history, but rather a flawed and nuanced character who gradually becomes little more than the consequences of the impossible decisions he’s forced to make.

Making a film that exceeds three hours is no easy feat, and there are admittedly moments in “Dau” that could have been cut to make room for a more concise, impactful story without the narrative embellishments Khrzhanovsky ultimately opts for. The screenplay takes a long time to truly find its rhythm, with much of the first act relying on dense exposition that could easily deter some viewers right away. The final act is also somewhat monotonous at times, using multiple scenes to convey (admittedly powerful) subtext that probably could have been accomplished in half the time. The second act is where “Dau” truly soars, using this complex protagonist to explore vital questions about the purpose of science and the dangers of using humanity’s vast knowledge on pursuits that could ultimately bring about our destruction.

While this story is admittedly heavy and challenging, “Dau” keeps the momentum moving through vibrant, kinetic editing that gives the film clear direction and energy. Whether it’s rapid montage sequences that fill in the gaps between the various chapters of Dau’s life, or slower, more purposeful editing that draws attention to the quieter moments of his story, this film really knows how to stop itself from stalling. Ultimately, “Dau” is a bold, engrossing historical epic that asks important questions about Russia’s political history and the growing entanglement of science and politics. Pacing issues towards the beginning and ending of “Dau” are its clearest flaw—making for a film that builds a towering, formidable narrative but isn’t always sure where it’s supposed to go next.