The present is actually what annoyed me most about this film. Also, her parents died but we dont know how or when, or how exactly she ended up in Alexs care. Moscow, 1959. It stars Rebecca Ferguson in both roles, as Katya and Lauren. We believe in Truth & Movies. Half the film follows Katya and Sashas courtship in Moscow in 1960 and 61, culminating in the fateful moment when Sasha defects to the United States, leaving Katya tragically behind. 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.). Mark Harrison | Then shes touched by his ideological idealism, though shes still not in love with him (and why would she be remotely sympathetic to his belief in a regime thats still rigid in its brutality?). Yet it certainly shows off what a versatile actress Ferguson is. Critical reception for the novel was mostly positive, with The Bulletin praising it as a "mature romance". Unfortunately, the strong cinematography from David Johnson and costume design by Momirka Bailovic cant overcome a lifeless, poorly structured script from Sarif, based on her own well received novel. Fall is also the best time to plant trees and other landscape perennials. Casting directors: Kelly Valentine Hendry, Victor Jenkins, Lina Todd, Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. A stolidly old-fashioned, rather bafflingly preposterous spy-tale-slash-love-story is what this creaky film offers, directed by Sharim Sharif and adapted by the director from her own 2004 novel. Drama Mystery Romance In Cold War Moscow, a female spy steals secrets from an idealistic politician - and falls in love with him. Charles Dance and Anthony Head (as the older Misha)dont really put anything into their roles,although they occasionally, and rather grossly, ham them up. 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. Also, whenneither ofthe time periods isthe one were living in, as a viewer we have a lot more to understand. Despite the Falling Snow is a 2016 British Cold War espionage film directed by Shamim Sarif, adapted from her novel of the same name. "Despite the Falling Snow" is a phrase that barely sticks in the mind for the time it takes to read it; given that the movie wants to be a Cold War romantic espionage thriller, you can imagine a. Warner Bros. Become a Member and support film journalism. You'll be playing the guessing game on where it's going, and who is who. Editor: Masahiro Hirakubo And Sundance is full of canaries in the coal mine, John Larroquette confirms he was paid in weed to narrate Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Prosecutors to reveal if Alec Baldwin will be charged in Rust shooting tomorrow, Want to solve climate change? Her choice between love and duty leads to a nail-biting conclusion. I think Rebecca Ferguson tries hard but the chemistry between herAntje Traue is non-existent and Trauejust seems uncomfortable with the whole thing. All Rights Reserved. Despite the Falling Snow is ostensibly a love story set against a Cold War thriller backdrop, but it features no heat and little tension. This is all very confusing. Coming Soon, Regal Snow Despite the sombre ending, though, he smiles, as his future is still bright. Starring Rebecca Ferguson, Sam Reid, Charles Dance, Antje Traue, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Thure Lindhardt and Anthony Head, the film was released in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2016.. 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. Her choice between love and duty leads to a nail-biting conclusion that Alexander can only unravel decades later in Boston. Dont worry, it wont take long. 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Romance, The romantic relationship between Lauren and Marina is pretty poor too. | In 1950s Moscow, communist Katya secretly spies for the Americans in the Cold War arms race. 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. In cold war America, ambitious young Russian diplomat Sacha (Sam Reid) has arrived with a trade delegation, planning to defect but will his beautiful young wife Katya (Rebecca Ferguson) be able to escape with him? Follow ourTwitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. All the papers are in Russian, so were not sure theyre important. Then, suddenly, she loves him. The twin scandals of fake news and the election hacking. Though the film is filled with Russian characters, everyone speaks with a British accent. By creating an account, you agree to the ; ; ; despite the falling snow ending explained However, Despite The Falling Snow has many problems in spite of this fact. . Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Youll be playing the guessing game on where its going, and who is who. The most confounding failure of Despite the Falling Snow is how it portrays the central ambiguity of the love story. Up to three inches of snow could fall in less than four hours. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. Even at 93 minutes, Despite The Falling Snow feels less like an adaptation than a mood reel for the source material, giving a prcis of the story rather than a whole experience. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast Despite the Falling Snow is an absorbing tale of family, the Cold War, and mostly true love. Despite the Falling Snow is a 2004 book by Shamim Sarif. The time frame flashes back and forth between the early 60s and the early 90s. 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. 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. She is now a spy working for the Americans, and the cell she belongs to has targeted Alexander Ivanov, a.k.a. Courtesy of Falling Snow Ltd. A then-and-now romantic drama tracing all broken hearts back to Cold War-era duplicity, Shamim Sarif's Despite the Falling Snow finds a Russian-American artist . Viewers first encounter Denzel Washington's character as he's scrambling . 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. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. A film adaptation of the novel was announced in early 2013 at the Cannes Festival. In facthisdisengagement from the past ends up seeming like a complete disinterest in Katya altogether. Its a formula not to be sniffed at he has sold over 300 million books during his 50 year career. Its a confusing development which really could have been avoided. 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. Urged on by her fellow spy Misha (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), himself Alexs best friend, Katya allows herself to be wooed by Alex despite his embrace of a government that persecuted her family. While the narrative plays out sensibly, and predictably, there is no depth. Plot. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. In one of a number of bad directorial choices, Ferguson inexplicably appears as both the heroine, spy Katya, and her niece, Lauren. [1] It was first published on May 4, 2004 through Headline Book Publishing and is set during two different time periods. 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. Considering I was the first person to buy a ticket for it at my local cinema I predict that this will most likely go straight to DVD in other countries, but stay tuned to the release dates in case of any change. Russia, as a subject, has been coming up in the world of entertainment (it started with the launch of The Americans on FX four years ago), and one could now easily envision Russia becoming a vast new landscape of 21st-century dramatic interface. The agent, in this case, is Katya Krinkova (played by the vibrant Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson), a secret dissident in Soviet Russia whose parents were killed by Stalins goons when she was just a girl. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". You never feel any strong emotions between them. Whatever potential subtlety and complexity we are promised does not materialise only hammy airport-bestseller histrionics, and the whole movie sometimes seems submerged in a kind of cold-tea sepia look, appropriate to its historical background. Despite The Falling Snow is outin UK cinemas, with no current plans to release it in the US. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Producer: Hanan Kattan 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. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. 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