Gunpowder Man
By Anton Dyakov
Synopsis
Petr, a solitary baker in a society where human bodies are commodities for the powerful, shares a brief but profound connection with Elena, a copper-haired nurse. He awakens to find the most vital part of himself stolen. His search for her leads only to emptiness, leaving him scarred and drifting through memories of war and pain. When he finally finds Elena—changed and tied to those in power—Petr embarks on a final journey to the darkened theater where they once shared happiness. There, in flickering shadows of memory, he faces what remains when all meaning has been taken from him.
Mission
"Gunpowder Man" reveals the human cost of wars initiated by the powerful and fought by ordinary citizens. The film presents a world where pain and vulnerability are visceral realities, where blood and flesh have tangible weight, and where the value of individual human life has been lost.
Through Petr's journey, the film examines exploitation, betrayal, trauma, and the search for meaning in a system viewing ordinary people as disposable. By following one man's path from loneliness to connection, to betrayal, to military service, and finally to self-destruction, "Gunpowder Man" reflects on how war corrodes both collective and individual souls, leaving only hollow shells of once-complete human beings.
About the film
"Gunpowder Man" is a drama directed by Anton Dyakov that blends tragedy, melodrama, and fantastical elements to portray life in a society consumed by perpetual war. The film contrasts sterile environments of hospitals and bakeries with chaotic war zones through distinctive visual language. The screenplay, titled "A Foreign Heart" ("Чужое сердце") in its original Russian, was completed in 2022. With its unflinching depiction of medical exploitation, military violence, and personal disintegration, the film examines the psychological aftermath of societal collapse.
The production brings together international talent to create a universal story about human value in societies where that value has been forgotten. Through its poetic visual approach, "Gunpowder Man" transforms one man's tragedy into a statement about the dehumanizing effects of war, political corruption, and systemic exploitation.