Leviathan
Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2014, 140 min
Russian with English subtitles

Kafkaesque horror awaits an auto mechanic who wages war against the corrupt, bureaucratic system that threatens to tear apart his home and family. Set in the far-flung Kola Peninsula, on the northwestern tip of Russia, this complex political allegory captures the struggles of ordinary life, common attitudes toward authorities, and behind-the-scenes power plays in a critique of the common people’s debased existence in post-Soviet Russia. Despite the accolades it received around the world, including a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, Leviathan’s grim portrayal of Russia drew stern criticism from the political establishment at home.

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Part of our Essential Cinema series