Lev Davidovich Landau, one of the most renowned scientists of the Soviet period, winner of the Noble prize in 1962 , lived in Kharkiv a number of years, starting from 1932, when he was Head of Theoretical Department of Kharkiv Physicotechnical Institute. There he was awarded degree od Doctor of Physics and Mathematics without preliminary doctoral thesis writing. Keeping on with research, Landau started teaching, in 1935 he became Chair of General Physics of Kharkiv University. During these years he formulated and started realizing the project of his life – creating a full course of theoretical physics and surrounding himself with professionals (students, colleagues and team-mates). For several years there reigned wonderful scientific atmosphere in Kharkiv Physicotechnical Institute. Cryogenic Laboratory of the Institute, one of its kind in the former USSR of those times, was headed by L.V. Shubnikov who was united with Landau not only with friendship but also with common scientific interests. Young talented dedicated scientists surrounded them.

In Kharkiv there took place International Conferences of Physics that were attended by eminent scientists of the West. During years of Landau’s work Kharkiv became centre of theoretical physics of the whole USSR and the major physical centre of the world. In 1937 Landau married kharkiv citizen K.T. Drobantseva. Unfortunately, since 1935 the situation in Kharkiv Physicotechnical Institute had changed. Repressions and terror that enveloped the country, did not spare Kharkiv. Threat of being taken prisoner was quite real for Landau. He was forced to “run away” to Moscow Institute of Physical Problems in 1937 after receiving an invitation from P.L. Kapitsa (today this institute is named in honour of P.L. Kapitsa).

One can ask – what does all this have to do with Kharkiv Zoo? Kharkiv Zoo was quite modern for those years. There was an interesting Zoo exhibition, also it had a well maintained park that was a convenient place for spending leisure time. Eyewitnesses remember that students and young scientists liked to prepare for classes and exams on benches and in summerhouses of the Zoo. Scientists of the Univerity and of Kharkiv Physicotechnical Institute also visited the Zoo quite often. Our Zoo played important role in lives of Kharkiv citizens of those times. That’s why we were not surprised at all when “Mosfilm” representatives proposed us to make shootings in the territory of the Zoo.

In Autumn of 2008 the work was started. “Cinema people” decorated many animal facilities. Hastily new enclosures were built, they were stylized for the corresponding epoch. Honestly saying, they corresponded to the plans and intentions of the producer. Sometimes those ideas surprised us. For example, clean apsjalt of the Zoo lane was covered with … dung layer! Dung was not only placed on asphalt but also carefully evened and pressed. All this was quite strange… Kharkiv was then capital of Ukraine, and both the City and the Zoo of those times were clean! The Zoo was certainly not covered with dung!

The Zoo, i.e. the animals, “did not leave cinema’s people actions unanswered”. “Mosfilm people” had to realize that Zoo animals are not circus animals. Notwithstanding the fact that they live in limited space, they are not used to obey human whims and they remain “free in mind‘’. So, the animals were not in the least interested in obliging the producers, they just did what they wanted themselves.

Now, when the shootings have been finished, one has only to wait for the premiere of the film “Dau”.