This film is part of our WINTER SERIES 'You Want It Darker'.
A grim, raw, and confronting tale about a man on the verge of losing everything when faced with a corrupt local government.
Laborer Kolya lives in a beautiful house on the coast of a small village by the Barents Sea, a property that has been in his family for generations. However, the arrogant and ruthless mayor has set his sights on Kolya’s land. Resistance seems futile, as the police, judiciary, and even the church side with the corrupt official. Yet Kolya refuses to give up and fights a determined (but losing) battle.
Leviathan is a modern David-and-Goliath story about the meaning and meaninglessness of existence, the struggle of the individual against the state, and the restrained fury, frustration, and loneliness of life. The title, referring to the mythical-biblical creature that symbolizes chaos and arbitrariness, finds its embodiment in the corrupt powers of contemporary Russia.
This masterful narrative is elevated by stunning visuals from Zvyagintsev’s regular cinematographer Mikhail Krichman and a haunting score by none other than Philip Glass.