The Banishment

Set in an unnamed location and time, Andrei Zvyagintsev’s truly compelling, mesmerisingly photographed drama follows Alex (Konstantin Lavronenko), Vera (Maria Bonnevie), their young son and daughter, and Alex's brother Mark (Alexander Baluyev), as they relocate from the city to Alex and Mark's father's old house in the country. Once there, Vera tells Alex that she is pregnant by another man, causing Alex to face huge personal dilemmas, wondering whether to forgive her or exact revenge. Acting on advice from his malevolent brother, Alex demands that Vera terminate the pregnancy. But when complications suddenly arise, Alex's weakening grasp on reality threatens to place events beyond his control.