Russian film Leviathan tipped for Oscar glory

The Russian film, Leviathan, is in strong contention for Best Foreign Language film tonight at the Oscars. The film's own history would probably make a fine documentary in its own right.

Its Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev won global acclaim with the road movie, The Return, back in 2003. Leviathan is his fourth feature and the film won best screenplay award in Cannes last year.

This year, it was named best foreign language film in the Golden Globes and gained the same accolade from the London Critics’ Circle. Zvyagintsev also won the Golden Eagle for best director in his native Russia.

A taut, riveting drama, Leviathan tells the story of a man who crosses swords with a crooked mayor, somewhere on the Baltic coast. The film has been generally seen as being unequivocally critical of the Putin regime.

But any such criticism is subtly masked. In one scene, Lenin and Gorbachev’s images are bring used for target practice. The rebel protagonist suddenly queries, “Haven’t you got anyone more recent?”

Church groups in Russia have objected to its portrait of a corrupt Orthodox priest. A spokesman for the town where Leviathan was filmed complained that the film reveals a “dirty, unwashed Russia.” 

Culture minister Vladimir Medinsky commented that films “with a sense of despair and hopelessness over our existence should not be financed with taxpayers’ money”.

Profanity laws led to a cut-down version of the film going on on general release in Russia. Director Zvyagintsev reportedly encouraged illegal downloads and it is believed that there have been over 4 million to date.

Whatever the case, thecritics have certainly acclaimed the movie. "Astounding" enthused Screendaily; "Impeccably made" wrote the LA Times, while the Chicago Tribune's critic found it " stunning."