Paradise (2016 film)

Paradise (Russian: Рай; Ray) is a 2016 Russian drama film produced and directed by Andrei Konchalovsky. It was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival.[2] At Venice Konchalovsky won the Silver Lion for Best Director.[3] It was selected as the Russian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.[4][5][6] In December 2016, it made the shortlist of nine films to be considered for a nomination at the 89th Academy Awards.[7]

Paradise
Film poster
Directed byAndrei Konchalovsky
Produced byAndrei Konchalovsky
Written byElena Kiseleva
Andrei Konchalovsky
StarringYuliya Vysotskaya
Music bySergey Shustitsky
CinematographyAleksandr Simonov
Edited byEkaterina Vesheva
Release date
  • 8 September 2016 (2016-09-08) (Venice)
Running time
130 minutes[1]
CountryRussia
LanguageRussian
German
French

Plot

The film is built around the intertwining destinies of three main characters during the Second World War: Russian aristocrat-emigrant and member of the French Resistance Olga (Yuliya Vysotskaya), a French collaborator Jules (Philippe Duquesne), and a high-ranking SS officer Helmut (Christian Clauß).

Olga is arrested for hiding Jewish children from the Nazi roundups. Her case is overseen by Jules. He is interested in her and it seems that in exchange for sexual relations, he is ready to soften the fate of the prisoner, but this does not happen. A chimeric hope of freedom is replaced by cruel reality – Olga lands in a German concentration camp. There she meets Helmut, who in the past was hopelessly in love with her. Strange and painful relations commence between them.

The Nazis are already close to defeat, and Helmut decides to save Olga from the camp and run away with her to South America. Olga, having lost hope of freedom agrees, but at the last moment realizes that her idea of paradise has changed.[8]

Cast

Reception

Critical response

Paradise has an approval rating of 70% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 23 reviews, and an average rating of 7.50/10.The website's critical consensus states, "Paradise hits hard and lingers, although viewers who've seen a number of other Holocaust-set dramas may find it all a bit familiar".[9] It also has a score of 52 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 7 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[10]

Accolades
Awards
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipients and nominees Result
2016 Golden Eagle Awards[11] 2016 Best Film, Best director and Best actor Andrei Konchalovsky, Julia Vysotskaya Won
Venice Film Festival 10 September 2016 Silver Lion for Best Director Andrei Konchalovsky Won
Golden Lion Andrei Konchalovsky Nominated
Mar del Plata International Film Festival 27 November 2016 Golden Ástor Andrei Konchalovsky[12] Nominated
Best Screenplay Andrei Konchalovsky and Elena Kiseleva[12] Won
2017 Nika Awards[13] 28 March 2017 Best Film, Best director and Best actor Andrei Konchalovsky, Julia Vysotskaya Won
2017 Filmfest München[14] 2017 Special prize and Best actor Andrei Konchalovsky, Julia Vysotskaya Won
2016 Chicago International Film Festival[15] 2016 Founder's Award Andrei Konchalovsky Won
Gold Hugo Andrei Konchalovsky Nominated
2016 Satellite Awards[16] 2016 Best Foreign Language Film Andrei Konchalovsky Nominated

See also

References
  1. "Venezia 73". Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  2. "Venice Film Festival 2016". Deadline. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  3. "Venice Film Festival: Golden Lion To 'The Woman Who Left'; Tom Ford's 'Nocturnal Animals', Emma Stone Take Major Prizes – Full List". Deadline. 11 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  4. "Россия выдвинула на "Оскар" фильм Кончаловского "Рай"". Lenta.ru (in Russian). 19 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  5. "Russia nominates 'Paradise' by Konchalovsky for best-foreign language Oscar". News.Az. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  6. Kozlov, Vladimir (20 September 2016). "Oscars: Russia Selects 'Paradise' for Foreign-Language Category". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  7. "Oscars: Nine Films Advance in Foreign-Language Race". Variety. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  8. "Начались предпремьерные показы фильма Кончаловского "Рай"". TVkultura.Ru. «Государственный Интернет-Канал «Россия». 23 September 2016. Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2016. Alt URL
  9. "Paradise (Ray) (2017)" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  10. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/paradise-2016
  11. "Лауреаты премии "Золотой Орел" за 2016 год". Golden Eagle Award.
  12. "Award Ceremony All The Winners". 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  13. "Award Winners & Nominees". Nika Awards. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  14. "Winners 2017". Filmfest München.
  15. "Chicago Film Festival: 'Sieranevada' Wins Gold Hugo for Best International Feature". The Hollywood Report. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  16. "Satellite Awards (2016)" (PDF). International Press Academy. IPA. 28 November 2016. pressacademy.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
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