Izgnanie (2007)

Director:

Andrei Zvyagintsev

Writers:

William Saroyan (book) and
Artyom Melkumian (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 November 2007 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

If you want to kill, kill. If you want to forgive, forgive.

Plot:

A trip to the pastoral countryside reveals a dark, sinister reality for a family from the city. |

Plot Keywords:

Lie | Telephone | Children | Death | Mirror

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Konstantin Lavronenko	...	Alexander
Maria Bonnevie	...	Vera
Aleksandr Baluev	...	Mark
Dmitriy Ulyanov	...	Robert
Vitaliy Kishchenko	...	German
Maksim Shibayev	...	Kir
Yekaterina Kulkina	...	Eva (as Katya Kulkina)
Aleksey Vertkov	...	Max
Igor Sergeev	...	Viktor
Ira Gonto	...	Liza
Svetlana Kashelkina	...	Faina
Yaroslava Nikolaeva	...	Frida
Elizabet Dantsinger	...	Flora
Yelena Lyadova	...	Vera (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vyacheslav Butenko

Directed by
Andrei Zvyagintsev

Writing credits
William Saroyan		book "The Laughing Matter" and
Artyom Melkumian		screenplay
Oleg Negin

Produced by
Dmitri Lesnevsky	....	producer
Yelena Loginova	....	executive producer
Anthony Rey	....	executive producer: France and Belgium

Original Music by
Andrei Dergachyov
Arvo Pärt

Cinematography by
Mikhail Krichman

Film Editing by
Anna Mass

Production Design by
Andrey Ponckratov

Art Department
Katerina Machacek	....	painter

Sound Department
Dmitri Chernov	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrei Dergachyov	....	sound
Natalya Dmitrieva	....	sound re-recordist
Stanislav Krechkov	....	boom operator
Dmitri Nagorny	....	sound re-recording mixer
Elena Novikova	....	sound re-recordist
Ivan Titov	....	sound
Alexander Volodin	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Dmitriy Tokoyakov	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin Ahearne	....	assistant camera
Boris Bourgois	....	key grip
Julien Covens	....	grip
Alex Pugh	....	second assistant camera
Jan Vandenbussche	....	gaffer

Production Companies

• Hélicotronc (executive production)
• Ren-TV

Distributors

• Artificial Eye (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2008) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Contact Film (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Pyramide Distribution (2008) (France) (theatrical)
• Barbar Film (2007) (Turkey) (all media)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Intercinema XXI Century (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Lighthouse Pictures (2007) (Singapore) (all media)
• Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) (2009) (Germany) (TV)

Also Known As:

"Изгнание" - Russia
"The Banishment" - International (English title)
"Die Verbannung" - Germany
"Förvisningen" - Sweden (imdb display title)
"I apoxenosi" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"I exoria" - Greece (festival title)
"Le bannissement" - France
"Sürgün" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Wygnanie" - Poland

Runtime:

157 min | Canada:150 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Russia

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Sweden:15 | UK:12A | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Belgium

Company:

Hélicotronc

Trivia:

The film required a larger budget than it may seem because the filmmakers wanted "Izgnanie" to be "out of time and place" and did their best so the audience would not guess where and when the film took place. Even car plates and signboards were designed specially for the film. The props were bought in Germany, the "town" part of the film was shot in Belgium and northern France, and the "country" part was shot in Moldova.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Metropolis: Cannes 2007 - Special" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Für Alina

From the outside, characters are clearly sophisticated enough and it is curious why connection never gets there.

A respectable family drama with its style and lethargic editing its main drawback, "Izgnanie" will also definitely test the patient, even Andrei Zvyagintsev's most loyal of fans. Insecurity over the plot is palpable as film overextends its welcome with pondering and introspective filming that doesn't quite translate well on screen. Plot and cinematography, especially in the countryside, offer some solace to art house fans, however audience will wonder why it took too long to make the point.

Film follows a middle class family as they go to the pastoral countryside, presumably where the paternal character, Alex (Konstantin Lavronenko) grew up. Plot only advances approximately an hour in the picture as a reveal is introduced. Character and story development is sporadic, definitely welcome, as it reminds audience that they aren't watching paint dry. The final act in the film, a flashback, carries the meatier part of the movie as it emphasizes the tragedy that happens earlier. Adultery, abortion and family secrets are aplenty, however seen and are better executed before.

Best actor nod for Konstantin Lavronenko at Cannes 2007 is somewhat deserving. It is indeed a subtle performance, however doesn't hold a candle to other actors vying for the same gong.

With an abundance of establishing shots and transport moving in and out of frame, the film could have easily eliminated 30 minutes of its 2 and a half-hour running time. Anna Mass, the editor, has puzzled together a film that wallows in atmosphere and creates images that are borderline pseudo-cathartic. Such scenes include a 3-minute trailing shot of water flowing from a water source that stopped delivering hydration before. May have functioned as time change and indication of liminal moment, but overly indulgent nonetheless, as it feels that it's delivered as art for art's sake.

Adapted from a novel by William Saroyan, it is clear that translation is also a problem. With the production of the film being abject to the characters, audience is clearly not allowed into these personalities, only as observers. This abjectivity produces lack of engagement that a plot like this could easily flourish on. From the outside, characters are clearly sophisticated enough and it is curious why connection never gets there.

English title is marketed as "The Banishment" as it may signify a plethora of themes and undertones in the movie. It straight up refers to the family's eviction from their 'idealised' Eden in a midtown neighborhood (although clearly far from it as it is depicted as violent and drab), but also refers to the individual isolation of the characters from one another. They are all devoid of communication or any sort of outward emotional connection, except for hate, contempt and the chains of nuclear family. Film becomes a burning effigy to families that are only bonded because they have to.

What could have been a beautifully insightful movie on the danger of disregard of family bonds, film overachieves in being meditative to a fault: dragging its run time to way beyond its limits, diluting its intended purpose. The patient will find satisfaction but will still notice the film's over the top brooding by overstuffing it with non-consequential establishing shots, pretending to be worth more than it is.