The Sacrifice is a 1986 drama and philosophical film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, a famous Russian filmmaker. Known as Tarkovsky’s last work, this film is a profound and moving work about faith, love, death and sacrifice.
The story of the movie The Sacrifice
The story of the film is told on a remote island in the Baltic Sea. Alexander (played by Erland Josefsson), a famous and rich writer, lives with his wife Maria (played by Alice Kring) and their disabled son Goethe (played by Robert Wallström).
On a stormy night, the power suddenly goes out and a fireball falls from the sky to the ground. Following this incident, a woman named Ott (played by Suzanna Yurst) who is seriously injured takes refuge in their house.
With the arrival of August, the peaceful life of the Alexander family is disturbed. Ott, who considers himself a messenger from God, tells Alexander that he must sacrifice one of his loved ones to save the world.
Alexander, who initially denies this request, gradually faces faith challenges and inner doubts. He struggles between loving his family and believing in his message.
The key characters of the movie The Sacrifice:
Besides Alexander and his family members, there are other characters in the story, each of which plays a role in making his crisis more prominent:
August: A mysterious woman who considers herself the messenger of God and asks Alexander to make a sacrifice to save the world.
Baran (played by Donatas Banionis): A government agent who seeks out August and warns Alexander of her potential dangers.
Priest (played by Alan Edelberg): The character Alexander looks to for faith and guidance.
Philosophical controversies:
Through its deep and philosophical dialogues, The Sacrifice explores concepts such as faith, love, death, sacrifice, and the place of man in the universe.
Visual Style:
In this film, Tarkovsky uses long shots, low-contrast lighting and mysterious atmosphere to portray the sense of anxiety, doubt and search for the meaning of life.
Effectiveness:
Itsar is known as one of the masterpieces of world cinema and has been praised by many critics and viewers. This film has created an impressive and lasting work by deeply exploring the crisis of faith and searching for the meaning of life.
