In The Code, Eugene Kotlyarenko Reflects on Romance During the Covid Era.

      The Covid lockdowns led to an influx of sincere, polite, socially-distanced films made under strict pandemic guidelines. However, writer-director Eugene Kotlyarenko chose to wait until restrictions were lifted to create what might be the most humorous and authentic pandemic movie, The Code, as it reflects the pandemic experience that many of us had: intensely and obsessively online.

      The Code, now accessible on video on demand, tells the complex story of an emerging filmmaker named Celine (Dasha Nekrasova) who escapes to the Southern California desert with her boyfriend, Jay (Peter Vack) during the pandemic. At the start, Jay admits to his phone that he can no longer be intimate with Celine.

      Shortly after she expresses her intention to document life in lockdown and its effects on relationships, a nervous Jay begins filming their relationship, fearing that Celine might try to sabotage him. The film presents their perspectives from various angles, particularly each other's. Set in 2021, during the early rollout of Covid vaccines, it provides ample opportunities for posturing, rivalry, and scheming.

      Kotlyarenko's films, including the 2020 lockdown success Spree and 2018’s Wobble Palace (which also features Nekrasova), are filled with on-screen displays, often cluttered with text messages, direct messages, and anonymous rants. For instance, Kotlyarenko personally crafted 7,000 of the internet comments showcased during Spree, where rideshare driver Kurt (played by Joe Keery from Stranger Things) embarks on a murder spree to achieve social media notoriety.

      One of Kotlyarenko’s goals as a filmmaker is to keep viewers from glancing at their phones during his movies. If they do, they might miss critical content on the characters' devices.

      “I never want to make what is termed a second-screen movie,” he states. “We generally accept that many home viewing experiences devolve into second-screen experiences where the film serves only as background noise to our more vital narrative, which is, ‘I am the main character of my social media existence, where I control and edit my phone’s doomscrolling.’”

      He continues: “The themes of this film touch on that central character syndrome that we all face through social media rather than film mediums.

      “What’s exciting is that it questions the authorship of the film and highlights editing and cinematic concepts in ways usually overlooked. By incorporating numerous intensified and loaded elements, I hope the aspects of viewers' minds seeking second-screen dopamine rewards are engaged by the film. That’s my intention.”

      We spoke with Kotlyarenko in Montreal last summer during The Code's premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival, discussing using film to examine filmmaking, recreating the lockdown period, and collaborating with Nekrasova, known for her roles in Succession, directing The Scary of Sixty-First, and co-hosting the provocative podcast Red Scare.

      MovieMaker: What sparked the idea for The Code?

      Eugene Kotlyarenko: It began over 15 years ago when I read Jun’ichirō Tanizaki's book The Key, which captivated me with its portrayal of a couple’s deteriorating relationship filled with sexual issues. The narrative unfolds through alternating diary entries between the partners.

      It made me think, what a brilliant approach. I wondered if I could explore both sides of a relationship similarly. Fifteen years ago, I envisioned using emails and secret blogs. I just couldn't figure out how to adapt it cinematically in a way that resonated with my interests.

      Then during Covid, I realized this would be a perfect backdrop for the story of that couple, as I noticed many couples together during lockdown experiencing strained and complicated relationships that seemed superficially functional. I thought, what if she’s documenting the lockdown, while subtly investigating their relationship?

      Once I established that as the film's foundation, I recognized I could weave in elements like posts, text threads, and memes. I also delved deeply into ideas around reality TV, surveillance, and Nest cams, aiming to create my own Tanizaki-inspired narrative.

      MovieMaker: But you didn’t film it during the pandemic.

      Eugene Kotlyarenko: I wrote it during the pandemic. It's reminiscent of the Shampoo syndrome [referring to the 1975 film set in 1968], starting the project during the events but gaining hindsight a few years later, which enhances the satire’s insight.

      MovieMaker: The references to NFTs in The Code feel more outdated than Shampoo.

      Eugene Kotlyarenko: [Laughs] It’s evident which were meant humorously. For instance, with Wobble Palace, which I shot around the 2016 election, I ran out of funds for post-production and it took me two years to finish, leading to its release in 2018.

      That gap changed how the satire resonated since it came after everyone thought Hillary would