THE HYDRA
One man’s fight against the post-Soviet drug cartels.
Synopsis: Everything changed when the Soviet Union collapsed and all the East Bloc states became independent countries including Ukraine in the 1990s. Simultaneously, large patches of synthetic drugs called “love pills” were flooding the European markets. Massive drug-induced rave-style parties were the craze and ecstasy pills were commonly shared in discos and schools. Large stockpiles were sitting in Ukrainian factories and legally being bought at low prices, pouring into the European market. Thus began a long investigation and ordeal lead by General Vladimir Tymoshenko with SBU (formerly KGB) to bring-down the entire network and the source of ecstasy in Europe. He thinks he closed the case in 1996 but learns twenty-years later that the “hydra” network moved to Russia starting a new chapter in the story and his life. The film is shot like a Cold War spy thriller and heavily inspired by the work of John le Carré. Watch on Amazon Prime / Apple / Free on TUBI
Director: RAM DEVINENI
Story idea: OLEKSANDR DRIZ, VOLODYMYR TYMOSHENKO
Script writers: TARAS TKACHENKO, SVITLANA RUDIU
Producers: OLEKSANDR DRIZ, OLENA DRIZ, RAM DEVINENI
Director of Photography: ARTEM RYZHYKOV
Production Designer: IRYNA SHUMEIKO
Composer: RENE VERON
Line Producer: SVITLANA RUDIUK
Creative producer: NADIIA HRACHOVA
Editor: YURI BEDENKO
Global Sales Agent: Gravitas Ventures
Format: 83 MIN. 2019.
Production: Rattapallax, for Post, Ukrainian State Film Agency