The Loneliest Planet

The Loneliest Planet is a 2011 American drama thriller film written and directed by Julia Loktev, based on the short story Expensive Trips Nowhere by Tom Bissell, published in his collection God Lives in St. Petersburg.[2] Starring Gael García Bernal and Hani Furstenberg, the film follows a young couple who travel with a local guide through a twisted backpacking trip across the Georgian wilderness.

The Loneliest Planet
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJulia Loktev
Screenplay byJulia Loktev
Based onExpensive Trips Nowhere
by Tom Bissell
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyInti Briones
Edited by
  • Julia Loktev
  • Michael Taylor
Music byRichard Skelton
Distributed by
Release dates
  • August 11, 2011 (2011-08-11) (Locarno)
  • October 26, 2012 (2012-10-26) (United States)
[1]
Running time
113 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Georgia
  • Germany
Languages
  • English
  • Georgian
  • Spanish

The Loneliest Planet premiered at the Locarno Film Festival on August 11, 2011,[3] followed by its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2011.[4] The film was theatrically released in the United States was on October 26, 2012, to positive reviews from critics.

It went on to be screened at the New York Film Festival,[5] the BFI London Film Festival,[6] and the 2011 AFI Fest in Los Angeles, where it won the Grand Jury Prize.[7]

Plot

Alex (Gael García Bernal) and Nica (Hani Furstenberg) are in love and engaged to be married. They are seasoned travelers on a trip in the country of Georgia, formerly a republic of the Soviet Union. They hire a local guide (Bidzina Gujabidze) to take them backpacking through the breathtaking scenery of the Caucasus Mountains.

While on their journey, they meet an older man with two boys on their route; he is suspicious of the two foreigners. After a short conversation with their guide, the older man suddenly aims a hunting rifle aggressively at Alex and Nica at point-blank range. For a moment, Alex's reaction is to shield himself behind Nica. He immediately regains his composure and pushes himself in front of Nica to face the stranger's gun, while their guide in turn persuades the stranger to lower his gun and go on his way. A seemingly traumatized Nica walks away on her own.

A few scenes show the couple not speaking or walking together while on their journey to the mountains, although Alex repeatedly attempts to reconnect with Nica. At one point, they cross a stream where Nica accidentally falls only to be saved by the local guide. Alex tries to offer a shivering Nica some help, but she rebuffs him. At night, the local guide tells Nica the story of his failed marriage, and they kiss. Soon after, Nica returns to Alex and the couple have sex. At dawn, the trio start packing up their camps, and it remains ambiguous as to whether or not the couple have finally reconciled.

Cast

Release

On October 11, 2011, it was announced that Sundance Selects, a division of IFC Films, had acquired North American distribution rights.[8]

Reception

The film was well-received by critics. The film holds a "certified fresh" approval rating of 70% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 62 reviews with an average of 6.9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The source material that inspired The Loneliest Planet may be brief, but this adaptation of a Tom Bissell short story compensates with studious, finely detailed filmmaking, haunting visuals, and thought-provoking subtext."[9] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[10]

A.O. Scott of The New York Times called The Loneliest Planet, "gripping and haunting, but also coy and elusive."[11] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 2 out of 4 and wrote: "All of this grows tiresome. We're given no particular reason at the outset of The Loneliest Planet to care about these people, our interest doesn't grow along the way, the landscape grows repetitive...."[12]

Accolades

The Loneliest Planet was awarded the Golden Lady at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival, where Furstenberg also won for Best Actress.[13] It won the Golden Tulip International Competition at the International Istanbul Film Festival.[14]

References
  1. Felperin, Leslie (August 12, 2011). "The Loneliest Planet". Variety. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  2. "A Filmmaker's Shock and Awe: Russian-born Julia Loktev's haunting new The Loneliest Planet sends beautiful youth into the wilderness". October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  3. "Locarno Film Festival".
  4. "2011 Toronto International Film Festival Programmer's Note". Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  5. "NYFF Spotlight: The Loneliest Planet". September 12, 2011.
  6. "BFI London Film Festival – 6 to 17 October 2021".
  7. "AFI Fest Awards Grand Jury Prize to The Loneliest Planet". Movieline Newswire. November 10, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  8. "Sundance Selects Nabs North American Rights To Julia Loktev's The Loneliest Planet". AMC Networks Press Release. October 11, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  9. "The Loneliest Planet (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  10. "The Loneliest Planet Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  11. Scott, A.O. "Two Hikers Who Need to Watch Their Steps". New York Times. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  12. Ebert, Roger. "The long, long walk home". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  13. "The Loneliest Planet wins Lady Harimaguada de Oro". March 24, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  14. "31st Istanbul Film Festival Awards Presented". April 14, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
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