Never Gonna Snow Again (Polish: Śniegu już nigdy nie będzie) is a 2020 Polish-German comedy-drama film directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert.[5] It stars Alec Utgoff, Maja Ostaszewska, Agata Kulesza, Weronika Rosati, Katarzyna Figura, Andrzej Chyra, Łukasz Simlat, and Krzysztof Czeczot.
Never Gonna Snow Again | |
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Polish | Śniegu już nigdy nie będzie |
Directed by | Małgorzata Szumowska Michał Englert |
Screenplay by | Michał Englert Małgorzata Szumowska |
Produced by | Agnieszka Wasiak Mariusz Włodarski Viola Fügen Michael Weber Małgorzata Szumowska Michał Englert |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Michał Englert |
Edited by | Jarosław Kamiński |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release dates | |
Running time | 113 minutes[1] |
Countries | Poland Germany |
Languages | Polish Russian |
Box office | $96,423[3][4] |
The film premiered at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, where it competed in the main competition.[6][7] It was selected as the Polish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but failed to receive a nomination.[8] It garnered seven Polish Film Award nominations, winning Best Cinematography.[9]
Plot edit
While working as a masseur in a gated community in Poland, Zhenia, a Russian-speaking immigrant from the East unexpectedly builds a cult following.[10][11]
Cast edit
- Alec Utgoff as Zhenia
- Konstantin Solowiow as Young Zenia
- Maja Ostaszewska as Maria
- Agata Kulesza as Ewa
- Weronika Rosati as Wika / Zhenia's mother
- Katarzyna Figura as Gucci, owner of Bulldogs
- Andrzej Chyra as Captain
- Łukasz Simlat as Wika's husband
- Krzysztof Czeczot as Maria's husband
- Maciej Drosio as Jan
- Astrid Nanowska as Blonde
- Wojciech Starostecki as Blonde's Husband
- Blanka Burzynska as Maria's daughter
- Adrian Podlaski as Maria's son
- Lena Wochal as Maria's daughter
- Maria Seweryn as Director
- Ewa Dałkowska as Zenia's Mother
- Agata Trzebuchowska as Woman at a Concert
Production edit
In December 2019, it was reported that Małgorzata Szumowska had started shooting a film under the working title Wonder Zenia on location in and around Warsaw. Ukrainian-born actor Alec Utgoff was cast in the title role, while Polish actresses Agata Kulesza, Maja Ostaszewska, Weronika Rosati and Katarzyna Figura were also cast.[12]
Critical reception edit
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Never Gonna Snow Again holds an approval rating of 94% based on 53 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Led by Alec Utgoff's impressive starring performance, Never Gonna Snow Again blends elements of sci-fi, satire, and surreal drama with an assured hand."[13] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[14]
Regarding the character of Zhenia, Giuseppe Sedia wrote on Kino Mania: "Ukrainians are the biggest foreign community in Poland and are looked at by many as a mere workforce. Zhenia instead is welcomed as a wonderful alien, almost a messiah figure capable of manipulating and healing the bodies and maybe unintentionally, the souls of his clients".[15]
The Guardian placed the film at number 35 on its list of the 50 best films of 2021 in the UK.[16]
Accolades edit
At the 77th Venice International Film Festival, Never Gonna Snow Again competed for the Golden Lion and received a special mention for its treatment of issues related to environment by the Premio Fondazione Fai Persona Lavoro Ambiente committee.[17] At the 2021 Polish Film Awards, the film received seven nominations: Best Actress (Kulesza and Ostaszewska), Best Supporting Actor (Chyra and Simlat), Best Costume Design (Katarzyna Lewińska), Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Waldemar Pokromski), and Best Cinematography (Michał Englert), winning the latter.[18] At the 2022 Chlotrudis Awards, it received five nominations: Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast, Best Actor (Utgoff), Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Design and Best Cinematography.[19]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Śniegu już nigdy nie będzie (Never Gonna Snow Again)". Venice Film Festival. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Kino Świat | ŚNIEGU JUŻ NIGDY NIE BĘDZIE |".
- ^ "Never Gonna Snow Again". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- ^ "Never Gonna Snow Again". The Numbers. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- ^ "Never Gonna Snow Again". Cineuropa. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ Sharf, Zack (28 July 2020). "Venice Film Festival 2020 Full Lineup: Luca Guadagnino, Chloe Zhao, Gia Coppola, and More". IndieWire. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Venezia 77 Competition". labiennale.org. La Biennale di Venezia. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott. "Oscars: Poland Selects 'Never Gonna Snow Again' for International Feature Category". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Orły 2021: "Zabij to i wyjedź z tego miasta" najlepszym filmem" (in Polish). filmpolski.pl. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Śniegu już nigdy nie będzie". Lava films (in Polish). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Never Gonna Snow Again". Lava films. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ Barraclough, Leo (16 December 2019). "'Stranger Things' Star Alec Utgoff Set for Berlin Winner Malgorzata Szumowska's 'Wonder Zenia' (Exclusive)".
- ^ "Never Gonna Snow Again (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ "Never Gonna Snow Again Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ Sedia, Giuseppe (26 November 2021). "Never Gonna Snow Again (2021)". Kino Mania. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ Pulver, Andrew (3 December 2021). "The 50 best films of 2021 in the UK: 50-11". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ "Collateral Awards of the 77th Venice Film Festival". La Biennale di Venezia. 11 September 2020. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Nominacje do Polskich Nagród Filmowych Orły 2021 ogłoszone". PwC.
- ^ "2022, 28th Annual Awards". Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2023.