Alexei German, who died in 2013, was always a fierce critic of authority. In his last film, he looks into the ultimate hierarchy: that of God and man. On the planet Arkanar, which halted its development in the Middle Ages, there are 30 terrestrial scientists. Don Rumata and his colleagues observe Arkanar with the knowledge of everything that could happen, but they cannot intervene. They are helpless gods in a world in which intellectuals are hunted like game. Throughout his career, German wanted to film the novel by the Strugatski brothers, whose work also formed the basis for Tarkovski’s Stalker; the last 15 years of his life were entirely dedicated to the project. His wife Svetlana Karmalita and son Aleksei German Jr completed the film after his death. With a minimal amount of plot, German focuses on the unique world he has created. Mud, shit, spit, vomit, blood and entrails fill every corner of the screen: stunningly beautiful depravity.
