Sputnik

At the height of the Cold War, a Soviet space mission ends in catastrophe, leaving only the commander alive. A renowned psychologist is summoned to determine if his memories align with the mission’s events and to assess his mental state under relentless scrutiny. As the interviews unfold, the survivor reveals gaps and odd behaviors that raise more questions than answers. A tense clash unfolds between medical ethics, military authority, and raw fear, driving the investigation forward. A creeping sense of danger seems to hover around the man and his recollections, while the story builds a mood of paranoia about space exploration and the price of keeping secrets.

Directed by Egor Abramenko, Sputnik draws on a concept by Oleg Malovichko and Andrey Zolotarev. This 2020 Russian science fiction thriller blends Cold War nerves with claustrophobic dread, produced on a lean budget of about 2.6 million dollars.

Critics praised the film for its restrained tension and strong performances from Oksana Akinshina and Fyodor Bondarchuk, along with a chilling atmosphere. The film probes trust between science and the military, the fragility of memory, and the unknowable consequences of space exploration.

Cultural impact is modest but real within contemporary Russian genre cinema. Sputnik's stark practical effects, austere production design, and clinical tone have influenced later projects that fuse psychological horror with space or government conspiracy themes.

Box office earnings were about 354,023 dollars worldwide, which is modest when compared with the 2.6 million dollar budget.