Sweden, UK, France, 1986
149m, 4072 metres
35mm film, Eastmancolor, 1.66:1
A Swedish/British/French fantasy film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky.
Plot Summary
As his family gather for his birthday celebrations, journalist Alexander worries about the lack of spirituality in the world. His fears are confirmed when, during the party, news breaks that nuclear war is imminent. Alexander learns that he has the power to redeem the world from the witch Maria. But will he be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the good his family, his friends and the entire human race?
Credits
Crew
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Argos Films, Channel Four Films, Farago Film, French Ministry of Culture and Communication, Josephson and Nykvist HB, SVT Drama, Sandrews, Svenska Filminstitutet
Producer for Svenska Filminstitutet: Anna-Lena Wibom
Production Manager: Katinka Faragó
Script: Andrei Tarkovsky
Assistant Director: Kerstin Eriksdotter
Director of Photography: Sven Nykvist
Assistant Camera: Lasse Karlsson, Dan Myhrman
Camera: Arriflex, Moviecam
Editors: Henri Colpi, Michal Leszczylowski, Andrei Tarkovsky
Lab: Film-Teknik, Stockholm, Sweden
Music: Johann Sebastian Bach (from Matthew Passion); Watazumido Shuso (from Shingetsu; Nezasa no Shirabe; Daibosatsu)
Sound: Yevgeniya Pototskaya, Owe Svensson
Costume Designer: Inger Pehrsson
Make Up: Florence Fouquier, Kjell Gustavsson
Special Effects: Lars Höglund, Lars Palmquist
Effects Editing: Bo Persson
Production Designer: Anna Asp
Locations: Närsholmen, Gotlands län, Sweden
Studio: Filmhusateljéerna, Stockholm, Sweden
Cast
Erland Josephson (Alexander)
Susan Fleetwood (Adelaide)
Allan Edwall (Otto)
Guðrún Gísladóttir (Maria)
Sven Wollter (Victor)
Valérie Mairesse (Julia)
Filippa Franzén (Marta)
Tommy Kjellqvist (little man)
Per Källman. Tommy Nordahl (ambulance men)
Alternative Titles
Opfer – German title
La Sacrifice – French title
The Sacrifice
Sacrificio – Italian title
Shetsirva – Georgian television title
Uhri – Finnish title
The Witch – working title
Zhertvoprinosheniye – Russian title
