Spaltung

DE 2025, 75 min

German, Polish

synopsis

Fission is a creative, observational documentary examining the nuclear power discourse in Germany and neighboring Poland. Through diverse protagonists, the film explores the history and evolving relationship with nuclear energy. At its core are the people of Gundremmingen, Bavaria—directly connected to a now-decommissioned nuclear plant—and the residents of Choczewo, a small Polish town set to build the country’s first nuclear power plant by 2033. In their graduation film from the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, directors João Pedro Prado and Anton Yaremchuk offer a multifaceted perspective on the polarized energy debate, particularly surrounding nuclear power, shaped by decades of emotionally charged discussion, Germany's nuclear phase-out, the climate crisis, and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

Fission (original title: Spaltung) will have its world premiere at CPH:DOX 2025. It is a production of Michael Kalb in co-production with ZDF Das Kleine Fernsehspiel and Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. It is co-directed by Anton Yaremchuk.

directors’ statement

On April 15, 2023, Germany said farewell to nuclear power. Celebrated as a victory by many, this decision is being put into question in the face of the climate crisis and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Scientists globally argue that neither climate change mitigation nor German energy independence is achievable without nuclear power, presenting new dilemmas. The world is too complex for a binary model, suggests Benahm Taebi in 'The Ethics of Nuclear Energy'. Public and political debates, however, have been increasingly dismissive of the nuances in life. Nuclear power, once condemned by disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima, has been challenging us to reassess our views. As a Brazilian-Ukrainian directorial team, we approach Fission aiming to uncover the layered truths of this topic — truths that are not black and white, but various shades of gray.