Soviet Retro Visions: How Soviets Imagined the Year 2017 in 1960

In 1960, the Soviet film studio "Diafilm" presented a filmstrip titled "In the Year 2017", prepared by V. Strukova and V. Shevchenko. This cinematic creation was envisioned to depict the future USSR of 57 years.

Composed of 45 panels, the filmstrip is a brilliant imagination and a reflection of its era.

In the Strukova and Shevchenko rendition of 2017, it is the Western "imperialists" who have self-destructed, while the Soviet Union has achieved remarkable scientific prowess.

In this view, "nuclear trains" transit the Bering Strait gracefully, and aerial power stations control global weather patterns.

The narrative also highlights the Soviet Union's 1960s fascination with "meson energy", a theoretical form of nuclear energy that was later rejected as unattainable.

“In the Year 2017” not only portrays a future world shaped by Soviet scientific prowess, but also weaves the story of a young boy and his family

We meet Patti, a young boy named Igor, whose father works in weather control.

Of course, weather control was something that both the United States and the Soviet Union looked at as a potential weapon during the Cold War.

Through the slides we see Igor entering an "instruction note" into the computerized kitchen, making his breakfast.

After reading the machine instructions, "Automatic scoopers measurewhat's needed, and special knives quickly chop the vegetables."