Prophet of Doom
Vladimir allegedly spent the last three days of his life blind drunk, stumbling from bar to bar in Cordoba, Spain while the guest of honour at a scientific conference. His behaviour was so appalling that his hosts informed the Soviet Embassy and drove him back to Madrid. He was last seen being chased by two men and pulled into a white van. He was never heard from again.
Vladimir was one of a group of scientists behind a doomsday prediction called Nuclear Winter. They were vilified and besieged by entities in both America and Russia since the theory itself endangered the Cold War detente. The scientists faced personal attacks in the press to complex disinformation campaigns designed to ridicule their findings. Vladimir went from meeting Pope John Paul II and being the international face of world peace with Carl Sagan, to nothing within months. He was erased from the history books. Our film is a thorough investigation into Vladimir’s disappearance and to learn how he became embroiled in such a dangerous game that could lead to his murder.
This film is also a very personal journey as I travel to my roots to meet a cousin of mine who was his scientific competitor, his daughter, his colleagues, a lawyer in Madrid reopening the case today, and finally the people responsible for his death.
Vladimir was one of a group of scientists behind a doomsday prediction called Nuclear Winter. They were vilified and besieged by entities in both America and Russia since the theory itself endangered the Cold War detente. The scientists faced personal attacks in the press to complex disinformation campaigns designed to ridicule their findings. Vladimir went from meeting Pope John Paul II and being the international face of world peace with Carl Sagan, to nothing within months. He was erased from the history books. Our film is a thorough investigation into Vladimir’s disappearance and to learn how he became embroiled in such a dangerous game that could lead to his murder.
This film is also a very personal journey as I travel to my roots to meet a cousin of mine who was his scientific competitor, his daughter, his colleagues, a lawyer in Madrid reopening the case today, and finally the people responsible for his death.