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‘To the Lake’: Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about Netflix’s Russian sci-fi thriller

It is based on the novel ‘Vongozero’ by author Yana Vagner and set in a deserted version of Moscow after it's been wrecked by a foreign virus

BY ANUKA ROY

PUBLISHED SEP 30, 2020

We are still in the middle of the pandemic and not sure when exactly things will go back to normal. During this time, television shows and movies have been our source of happiness and joy. And for those who love thrillers and science-fiction stories, we have some good news for you. Netflix is releasing the hit Russian show ‘To the Lake’ next week.

While some might find it eerie about how eerie resemblance it has with what we are facing right now, thriller genre lovers might geek out on it. Here’s what you need to know about the series.

Release Date

The series is scheduled to premiere on October 7, 2020, on Netflix.

Plot

Netflix’s official description for the show states: “Facing the end of civilization when a terrifying plague strikes, a group risks their lives, loves – and humanity – in a brutal struggle to survive.” Sounds exciting?

According to Thrillist, ‘To the Lake’ is based on the novel ‘Vongozero’ by author Yana Vagner. It is set in a deserted version of Moscow after it's been wrecked by a foreign virus. It focuses on a man who tries to lead his girlfriend and ex-wife to safety. It originally aired in 2019.

Cast

The cast comprises Viktoriya Agalakova, Viktoriya Isakova, Kirill Käro Aleksandr Robak, Maryana Spivak, Natalya Zemtsova, Aleksandr Yatsenko, among others.

Creators

This chilling thriller is directed by Nika Award nominee Pavel Kostomarov. According to IMDb, Kostomarov was born in Moscow. He has studied engineering at the Institute of Biology in Moscow. In 2002, he graduated from the State Film Institute as a cinematographer. He has worked as a cinematographer in many movies and with directors such as Sergey Loznitsa, Victor Asliuk, Alexey Uchitel and Alexey Popogrebsky.

Vagner, the author of the book on which the series is based, said in an interview to lelitteraire.com, “I wanted to imagine the end of the world - not the picturesque spectacle you usually see in movies or in books - but something realistic, without monsters or superheroes. The kind of adventures that can happen to ordinary people who are like us: city dwellers accustomed to comfort and safety.”

Trailer

The trailer opens into a school where a few men in gas masks and hazmat suits tell a little girl to stay calm. It is clear that something is wrong with the girl, as she appears scared and sick. The scene then cuts to an excited little boy who asks a man “Is it for me?” A woman appears, supposedly his mother, who tells him that it is for another boy and daddy has a new home. It then goes back to the school premises, where the girl we saw earlier appears completely pale, being carried on a stretcher, while his father cries out to let him meet her, and she also tries to reach out to him. He can be heard saying “What did you do to her?” It appears there’s a lockdown situation as someone announces “Moscow city is temporarily closed until further notice.” As the trailer moves forward, a group of people, each dealing with some personal issue, try to survive and navigate what appears to be a desolated and destroyed town. The trailer ends with the scream of a woman.