The future through which the present peeks I watched two new series based on the Strugatsaks: "It's hard to be a god" on Wink and "Zahrim" on OK. Both immediately warn that these are works of inspiration, and not literal adaptations. The Strugatskys weren't just science fiction writers. Their books can be read as adventures with distant, advanced planets, secrets and chases. But behind the plot there were always additional layers: pedagogical. On human, philosophical change. On good, bad, responsibility, development, political. On the present, transferred to the future. The world of noon has changed along with the authors. In the beginning it was an almost unconditional communist utopia of free, educated and internally beautiful people. Then cracks began to appear within the ideal future. Contemporary Russian cinema has almost forgotten how to speak directly about modernity. That is why it is a film about the past, romanticizing the Soviet Union, talking about great victories. Fairy tales or Soviet science fiction films. But the present is still grotesquely visible. "It's Hard to Be God" describes an international space mission. The equipment bears a Rosatom logo. Apparently, the viewer should rejoice: the state corporation survived into the 23rd century and reached the interstellar level. But behind the beautiful technology, a closed hierarchical system is revealed. Subordinates lie to their superiors. Managers put pressure on employees. The goals of an organization are not always clear even to those who work within it. The authors treated Don Condor in a particularly revealing way. For the Strugatskys, Condor is Romata's best friend and dialogue partner. They argue about progressivism and the limits of intervention. In the series Condor, played by Sergey Bezrokov, becomes a fanatic and actually a maniac. Romata's motivation also changes. He goes to Arcanar not only for the mission, but also to look for his missing father. The philosophical problem gives way to an understandable personal drama.

The future through which the present peeks I watched two new series based on the Strugatsaks: "It's hard to be a god" on Wink and "Zahrim" on OK. Both immediately warn that these are works of inspiration, and not literal adaptations. The Strugatskys weren't just science fiction writers. Their books can be read as adventures with distant, advanced planets, secrets and chases. But behind the plot there were always additional layers: pedagogical. On human, philosophical change. On good, bad, responsibility, development, political. On the present, transferred to the future. The world of noon has changed along with the authors. In the beginning it was an almost unconditional communist utopia of free, educated and internally beautiful people. Then cracks began to appear within the ideal future. Contemporary Russian cinema has almost forgotten how to speak directly about modernity. That is why it is a film about the past, romanticizing the Soviet Union, talking about great victories. Fairy tales or Soviet science fiction films. But the present is still grotesquely visible. "It's Hard to Be God" describes an international space mission. The equipment bears a Rosatom logo. Apparently, the viewer should rejoice: the state corporation survived into the 23rd century and reached the interstellar level. But behind the beautiful technology, a closed hierarchical system is revealed. Subordinates lie to their superiors. Managers put pressure on employees. The goals of an organization are not always clear even to those who work within it. The authors treated Don Condor in a particularly revealing way. For the Strugatskys, Condor is Romata's best friend and dialogue partner. They argue about progressivism and the limits of intervention. In the series Condor, played by Sergey Bezrokov, becomes a fanatic and actually a maniac. Romata's motivation also changes. He goes to Arcanar not only for the mission, but also to look for his missing father. The philosophical problem gives way to an understandable personal drama.