How I Ended This Summer

Set against the spectacular, otherworldly landscape of the windswept Arctic Circle, writer/director Alexei Popogrebsky's multi-award winning psychological drama HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER is an immersive and compelling morality tale of isolation and survival against the elements. Russian heartthrob Grigory Dobrygin stars as Pavel, a young graduate posted to a remote meteorological station over the summer months. His gruff, non-communicative co-worker Sergei (Sergei Puskepalis) takes pride in the repetitive work and is rattled by Pavel's youthful carelessness and complacency, but the two go about their shared day-to-day lives, albeit with a heavy dose of mutual distrust. But when Pavel receives a gravely urgent radio message that out of panic, fear and intimidation he fails to pass on, he inadvertently triggers a series of events that spin inexorably out of control... Filmed entirely on location in the easternmost tip of Russia, this absorbing tale features exceptional performances and unforgettable cinematography; Popogrebsky skilfully exercises a slow-burning grip over the viewer, expansively capturing the majestic yet terrifying landscape to visceral effect. One of the most distinctive and heralded films to emerge from Europe in recent years, HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER was the winner of the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival's Silver Bear for Best Actor (shared by the two leads), plus the Silver Bear for Best Artistic Achievement. Amongst a slew of other awards, most recently it was named Best Film of the 2010 BFI London Film Festival.