Again, theres great potential here but its never really explored. Follow ourTwitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. Despite the Falling Snow is a phrasethat barely sticks in the mindfor the time it takes to read it; given that the movie wantsto be a Cold War romantic espionage thriller, you can imagine a hundred titles that would bemore alluring. Production company: Enlightenment Productions | Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Privacy Policy This can just add to our confusion. But as becomes abundantly clear, much of what matters to the plot takes place in the flashbacks and theres a binary feeling to the way in which the film segues between time-frames, with much clunking thematic resonance. When she begins spying on Alexander, an idealistic Communist politician, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. Meanwhilein 1990s New York Katyas niece Lauren, an artist, is making plans to discover what happened to her aunt. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more. Alexander Ivanov, a high-ranked Soviet bureaucrat, reluctantly defects to the West while is part of a diplomatic mission, feeling the grief of being unable to know the fate of his wife Katya, whom he has had to leave behind in Moscow. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. The most confounding failure of Despite the Falling Snow is how it portrays the central ambiguity of the love story. Despite the Falling Snow. You're almost there! Cinemark Its obviousness is irritating, and I was amazed that a filmmaker would use such bad SFX in a contemporary film.source: Altitude Film Entertainment. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. The present is actually what annoyed me most about this film. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Romance, Theres also this part of you that wonders ifLauren isntAlex and Katyas daughter, which keeps your interest going for a while, until you realise she certainly isnt. Their director proved them wrong. When the preview of Despite The Falling Snow the film appeared on YouTube a song performed by Ella Henderson called "Now You Say You Love Me" featured prominently toward the end. Reconciling her passion for him with her beliefs about communism means making the greatest sacrifice - of her life - a sacrifice that Alexander only uncovers thirty years later. When a films basic strategy is to cut between the past and the present, it should create ripples of anticipatory tension. But all the expectation might not have been worth it, and I can understand why this filmdidnt open toglorious fanfare. Katya has been assigned by Misha (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), the swarthy leader of her cell, to get romantically involved withSasha. After an early career amongst the political elite of Cold War Russia, Alexander Ivanov has lived in America for forty years and has managed to bury the tragic memories surrounding his charismatic late wife, Katya or so he believes. As the final credits roll, that overarching theme about photos being timeless rings true. Katyas mission, however, becomes muddled when would you believe she falls in love with him. Unless you have someone with you. It. Director Shamim Sarifs Despite the Falling Snow begins with promise, featuring the titular precipitation with an almost jaw-dropping beauty. For 40 years, he has buried the tragic memories surrounding his charismatic late wife, Katyaor so he believes. Charles Dance I didnt know she was in Moscow for quite a while, in fact,because I didnt hear any Russian accents. But its a potential that was wasted. despite the falling snow ending explained +10 What wintertime climate change has meant for South Jersey In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and . Its a confusing development which really could have been avoided. Composer: Rachel Portman But a lot of this might be due to Sharifs creation of the character and her direction ofFerguson. Do you plan on seeing Despite The Falling Snow? Only many years later, in 1991, he will finally find out the truth when his niece Lauren travels to Moscow to participate in a painting exhibition. Hes an uncomplicated functionary in the Kremlins foreign-affairs department; she, unbeknownst to him, is a spy selling secrets to the U.S. Thecharacters have a depth and a warmth to them which although isnt completely engaging does at least make you interested in their ultimate fates. As writer and director, Shamim Sarif brings her own racy, Sheldon-esque espionage romance to the big screen, and she sticks to the above formula. But she makesKatya agravely sensual figure, with shades of Genevive Bujold or Emily Watson,lost in the dream-killing melancholy of the old Soviet Union. figs return policy reddit; ruth wignall wedding ring. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. The story takes us into post-stalinist Russia at the height of the Cold War, with Katya (Rebecca Ferguson) as an American spy tasked with stealing intel from do-gooder Russian politician, Alexander (Sam Reid). As a leading lady, her smouldering screen presence holds up perfectly, with her Ingrid Bergman-esque qualities serving the film extremely well in the Cold War sequences as Katya. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Review: Missing turns up more terrors in tech and true crime, Indie film is at a crossroads. Sasha (Sam Reid). Get our L.A. The other half is set in what feels like the present day that is, 1992, just after the fall of the Soviet Union, when the aging Sasha, now played by Charles Dance as a successful but haunted New York businessman, watches as his artist niece goes to Moscow to learn what happened to Katya all those years ago. Alan Rickmans final screen outing is a textbook exercise in bringing modern warfare to the big screen. At the party in the opening sequence the American flag hangs with the field in the upper right corner. We believe in Truth & Movies. Read critic reviews. Director Shamim Sarif's "Despite the Falling Snow" begins with promise, featuring the titular precipitation with an almost jaw-dropping beauty. She comes across as cold, kind of blank, and with an accent that jumps around quite a bit. Despite The Falling Snow is outin UK cinemas, with no current plans to release it in the US. Its a formula not to be sniffed at he has sold over 300 million books during his 50 year career. Overall, the 90s is not very good. If nothing else, Despite The Falling Snow proves what we already knew about Ferguson from Rogue Nation shes a bona fide movie star. In facthisdisengagement from the past ends up seeming like a complete disinterest in Katya altogether. Yet it certainly shows off what a versatile actress Ferguson is. An off-the-chain Tom Cruise is the key and only asset in this fifth ride-along with the IMF crew. Director of photography: David Johnson However, she soon falls in love with him, complicating her mission. Despite The Falling Snow is a film by novelist and filmmaker Shamim Sharif. This laboriously acted and directed spy tale-cum-love story is like a Jeffrey Archer airport novel with uninteresting, guessable revelations. They were off-putting, and were perhaps an indicator of the surprises still to come. Despite the Falling Snow's slick production and appealing cast struggle to elevate a feeble script, resulting in a Cold War thriller that never raises the temperature. It looks like we don't have a Synopsis for this title yet. Despite the Falling Snow is a 2016 British Cold War espionage film directed by Shamim Sarif, adapted from her novel of the same name. Regal Although the scantness of Alexs kitchen does sort of give away the fact that he hasnt cooked so much as had the prop department place a saucepan on the cooker. LWLies Recommends. Directed by the author, the story features Katyaplayed by Rebecca Ferguson in the moviea female spy in Cold War Moscow who steals secrets for the Americans from an idealistic Russian politicianall the while falling in love with him. When she begins spying on Alexander, an idealistic Communist politician, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. Her films have won 47 awards internationally. Rebecca Ferguson, Following on from Rebecca Fergusons last role as the sassy spy alongside Ethan Hunt, this should be mission possible. It is like Jeffrey Archer with a twist. If I'm not watching films I'm doing exceptionally nerdy stuff, like watching documentaries about the history of medicine and collecting photos of old post boxes. A film set in two time periods is always going to suffer slightly, all the jumping back and forth between storylines can disengage the audience from what is going on. Parents Guide. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Not that any of us would have known this. Understandably the nature of their work must be kept secret, but most of the time you kind of wonder if theyre doing anything at all. [1] It was first published on May 4, 2004 through Headline Book Publishing and is set during two different time periods. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. A Cold War spy thriller from Steven Spielberg thats as sleek, robust and alluring as a vintage Rolls Royce. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter, Novelist/filmmaker Shamim Sarif goes to Cold War-era Russia for the espionage-laced love story 'Despite the Falling Snow.'. Its heady and fertile terrain for journalistic docudrama, for spy-vs.-cyber-spy suspense. Drama Mystery Romance In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him. All Rights Reserved. Theone truly heinous part of the past is the special effects used while the characters walk alongside the Moskva river (see below). The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. For into his life come two womenone . Given that its called Despite the Falling Snow, divide that teensy audience by about one-half. The younger actors do well (although Thure Lindhardt is underused) but the direction leaves many of the performances feeling quite cold. Are record snowstorms proof that global warming isn't . Marina: Why not both? Displaying promises of a polished melodrama, the archetypal romance between between Katya and Alexandre (on which the plot largely feeds) is more mawkish than emotionally charged. Executive producers: Ben White, Lisa Tchenguiz, Katherine Priestley In Moscow in 1959, Katya pursues rising Soviet politician Alexander (Sam Reid) at the encouragement of their friend Misha (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) so that she can share his secrets with the Americans. 2022 Film Inquiry. Viewers first encounter Denzel Washington's character as he's scrambling . I'm a big believer in treating every film the same, and bringing something new to the film theory table, giving reasons for every argument made. Request more information. There he remains, and for some reason has ended up being the father figure to Katyas niece Lauren. [1] Starring Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid, Charles Dance, Antje Traue, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Thure Lindhardt and Anthony Head, [2] the film was released in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2016. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. Paperback - October 1, 2016. Mystery & thriller. We see all of this through black and white shots of their various hotspots together. Despite the Falling Snow is a 2004 book by Shamim Sarif. Become a Member and support film journalism. Sharif is no stranger to adapting her own novels for the screen, via her production company Enlightenment Productions, and sadly, although Im not familiar with previous films such as The World Unseen and I Cant Think Straight, you wouldnt know it to look at this one. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. Their relationship, in fact,is treated quite superficially. Watch Despite The Falling Snow (UK Trailer). It is like Jeffrey Archer with a twist. Assuming an undercover identity is an integral part of Katyas profession, so it is not immediately clear that they are different people. Hes supposed to be the films romantic hero, but he is, in fact, a Soviet bureaucrat of such mealy sweet ineffectuality that his title is senior assistant to the third deputy minister of foreign affairs. (He would probably think that Despite the Falling Snow is a good title.). This should be known by a government agency. Ferguson, in a short blondish wig, plays the niece, too, a gambit that seems like it should mean something but doesnt. Plot. judd hirsch montana eve hirsch; canadian embassy in uganda website; nico collins singer height; love finds a home full movie youtube; mock trial taglines Despite the Falling Snow is an absorbing tale of family, the Cold War, and mostly true love. Hanan Kattan and Lisa Tchengiuz served as the Executive producers. Despite the falling snow - high res. The time frame flashes back and forth between the early 60s and the early 90s. Shamim has adapted and directed the films of three of her novels including, most recently, Despite the Falling Snow. Very glad I saw it. Warner Bros. Just confirm how you got your ticket. The 1992 present, in comparison to the past (but also compared to any other film), istwo-dimensional and kind of vacuous. All Rights Reserved. A then-and-now romantic drama tracing all broken hearts back to Cold War-era duplicity, Shamim Sarifs Despite the Falling Snow finds a Russian-American artist going back to the old country in search of news about an aunt she never knew. The most successful part of Despite The Falling Snow takes place in the past. It feels abridged, almost as though the film has to come in under a time limit, and many of the important beats dont really get time to land. Coming Soon. (Establishing shots ostensibly set in 1991 make no attempt to hide 21st-century skyscrapers.) For the 2016 film, see, "Movies, Marriage and Mayhem with Shamim Sarif: From Moscow with Love (Ep. titleist replacement grips; paul elias alexander photo; calvin klein sizes run small; chris tarrant brother repair shop Katya and Mishas personal relationship is more interesting. We know because she keeps saying it, but Sarif doesnt develop the relationship convincingly its like watching freeze-dried old movie passion that someone forgot to add water to. But Despite the Falling Snow, which is at once overreaching and threadbare, busy and tedious, is like a hastily scrawled sketch for the movies to come. Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Charles Dance, Anthony Head, Antje Traue, Thure Lindhardt Katya is played by Rebecca Ferguson and played very well, her chemistry with Alex (played by Sam Reid) has potential, but you never really understand how she feels about him or what his reasons are for wanting her. Thematically, Despite the Falling Snow could be summed up as an exploration of the way in which the inhuman brutality of Stalinism wreaks its deep emotional damage decade after decade, generation on generation, even following its victims halfway round the globe. Marina clearly has her own agenda but youre not really sure what it is, and when you do find out its as cold and boring as the rest of her story. | Alas, Lauren is going in there to read about this sort of thing, and so, even the slicker transitions slide the film right back into sub-Who Do You Think You Are procedural before it can really gather any steam. Its a particular gripe of mine that I hate films that try to get by in an 80s or 90s world just by ditching the mobile phones and wearing slightly unfashionable clothing. When she lands her biggest assignment, stealing secrets from rising government star Alexander, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. A lifeless love-meets-espionage yarn set in Cold War Russia. Katya is young, beautiful and a spy for the Americans. Synopsis Despite the rain, we enjoyed the festival. Coming Soon, Regal Director Shamim Sarif Writer Shamim Sarif (written for the screen by) Stars Rebecca Ferguson Sam Reid Charles Dance See production, box office & company info Watch on Freevee Watch Free on Freevee More watch options Her choice between love and duty leads to a nail-biting conclusion that Alexander can only unravel decades later in Boston. Admittedly I had high hopes for Despite The Falling Snow, I imagined something reminiscent of The Debt (which I didnt like) or Sarahs Key (which I did). In one of a number of bad directorial choices, Ferguson inexplicably appears as both the heroine, spy Katya, and her niece, Lauren. Read Next: Animation Directors Use Cutting-Edge Tech to Amplify Emotion. [4] The film[5] starring Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson, Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Antje Traue, Sam Reid, Anthony Head, and Danish actor Thure Lindhardt was released in UK on April 15, 2016. Casting directors: Kelly Valentine Hendry, Victor Jenkins, Lina Todd, Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. [2] The Boston Globe also praised the novel, citing the character of Katya as a highlight.[3]. However, Despite The Falling Snow has many problems in spite of this fact. 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