Under Control

The dream of a worry-free, clean nuclear power has been shattered. The deep faith in the unstoppable technical progress is permanently shaken. What really happens behind the walls of nuclear power plants?

“Under Control” makes the invisible visible: for three years, director Volker Sattel worked on his film. He visited German nuclear power plants and was able to gain incredible insights. “Under control” shows humans as irritating foreign particles in the world created by themselves. The camera captures the people at their workplaces, at which they apparently deal with the most dangerous matter in the world. Footage makes the monstrous technique visible – somewhere between science fiction and everyday madness.

“Under Control” unfolds a panorama of the “peaceful” use of atomic energy in Germany. It makes the real challenges and incredible efforts visible and shows what nuclear power demands from the humankind. The documentary does not tell the control of the nuclear fission process as a chronological plot but provides a prism of places and sites that not only refracts the scenes of the German atomic age but reflects beyond the current situation. Through a look at a technology that was once used as a synonym of progress also opens up a piece of historical civilization.

Will we really be able to get out of this technology so easily? What legacy do we leave to future generations? The discussion is not over, it is just beginning.