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Konstantin Lavronenko as the Father

THE RETURN
Directed by: Andrey Zvyagintsev.
Produced by: Dmitry Lesnevsky.
Written by: Vladimir Moiseenko & Alexander Novototsky.
Director of Photography: Mikhail Kritchman.
Edited by: Vladimir Mogilevsky.
Music by: Andrey Dergatchev.
Released by: Kino International.
Country of Origin: Russia. 106 min. Not Rated.
With: Vladimir Garin, Ivan Dobronravov & Konstantin Lavronenko.

After 12 years of absence, a father suddenly resurfaces to take his sons on a fishing trip. The boys are forced to separate from their mother, depend on each other and grow up quickly in order to survive. Vanya (Dobronravov), the younger brother, continually probes his father to figure out why he left and where he’s been. The more mature Andrey (Garin) likes simply having a father figure and rebuts Vanya’s continual questioning with “maybe he wants to forget.” The unknown is a theme that runs throughout the film and one that director Andrey Zvyagintsev, in his feature film debut, grapples with beautifully by following the newly formed family as they adventure through the countryside, across a lake and onto a small island. Much of the film is constructed around almost still two-shots of the boys who come into focus individually, signaling their distance, while silently hinting at the unknowns about each other and their father. The director writes in the press notes, “To a great extent, the film is a mythological look on human life.” Indeed, there is an allegorical trajectory to the film; we accept the impossible events (like rowing a small boat through a harrowing storm) as they unfold and watch the children learn and mature from each event. However, the film avoids being heavy-handed by virtue of its stunning cinematography and seamless editing (including a careful attention to sound). The Return, a tale of building the necessary skills to overcome life’s unavoidable tragedies, is bleak at times, sweet at others, and has a power that resonates long after the credits roll. Caitlin Shamberg, former programming associate, Mill Valley Film Festival
February 6, 2004

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