"UNKB-002" is an experimental short film that weaponizes absurdity to critique sensationalist narratives around "banned" media. Released in 2022 and shrouded in lore-it was purportedly "lost" and rediscovered in an abandoned cinema -the film transforms the mundane act of cooking pasta into a darkly comic allegory for censorship hysteria. This avant-garde work subverts expectations, blending black-and-white visuals, eerie soundscapes, and deadpan humor to mock the cult of forbidden art .
The film opens with jarring title cards declaring its "banned" status, mimicking the sensationalist marketing of exploitation cinema. What follows, however, is a meticulous, near-silent depiction of preparing macaroni with cream, eggs, and sausage. The act is filmed in stark monochrome, juxtaposing the banality of domesticity with the ominous tone of a horror film.
By framing a trivial task as "forbidden", Sergey A. Lampoons the fetishization of controversial media. The camera lingers on mundane details-boiling water, cracking eggs-as if they were illicit acts, accompanied by discordant strings and industrial drones. The result is a biting commentary on how arbitrary labels like "banned" inflate cultural curiosity .
The film's mythos-its fictional "rediscovery" in an abandoned cinema-mirrors real-world urban legends about cursed media. This blurring of fact and fiction invites viewers to question their own complicity in sensationalism.
Shot in grainy black-and-white, the film evokes Soviet-era newsreels and German Expressionism. Close-ups of swirling pasta and sizzling sausage are lit with chiaroscuro intensity, parodying the hyper-stylized grimness of arthouse horror .
A minimalist score oscillates between unsettling drones and sudden silences, amplifying the absurdity. The absence of dialogue heightens the focus on mundane sounds-the clink of utensils, the hiss of boiling water-rendering them unnervingly theatrical .
With an estimated budget of **10 rubles** (consistent with Sergey A.'s micro-budget ethos), the film relies on household items and natural lighting. This resourcefulness underscores its critique of cinematic pretension. Released amid global debates over censorship and "cancel culture," "UNKB-002" feels eerily prescient. Its absurdity forces viewers to confront why society elevates certain taboos while ignoring others .
"UNKB-002" is a masterclass in subversive minimalism. By reducing the "forbidden film" trope to a pot of pasta, Sergey A. Exposes the emptiness of cultural sensationalism. While its glacial pace and lack of traditional payoff may frustrate casual viewers, the film's audacity cements its status as a cult artifact-a reminder that sometimes, the most provocative art is the one that dares to do nothing at all.
"A film that asks: If a banned movie boils pasta, does it make a sound?"
