Solaris

The 1972 Soviet science fiction drama, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, is based on the novel of the same name by Stanisław Lem. The film explores ethical and philosophical issues of humanity through the lens of contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Set in an unspecified future where humanity has mastered interstellar travel, earthly life still retains characteristics of the 20th century. The science of solaristics, studying the distant planet Solaris, has reached an impasse. Debates arise on Earth about the feasibility of continuing research on the planet, especially after pilot Berton (Vladislav Dvorzhetsky) reported strange phenomena on Solaris. Some scientists suggest that the ocean covering almost the entire planet possesses consciousness. Psychologist Kris Kelvin (Donatas Banionis) is sent to the orbital station of Solaris to assess the situation. There, he finds the crew of three scientists—Snaut (Yuri Yarvet), Sartorius (Anatoly Solonitsyn), and Gibarian (Sos Sargsyan)—tormented by unexplained phenomena: they are visited by "guests," material manifestations of their most distressing memories. Gibarian committed suicide before Kelvin's arrival, leaving a farewell video message with a warning. Soon, Kelvin encounters his own "guest"—his late wife Hari (Natalya Bondarchuk), who had committed suicide ten years earlier after an argument with him. Initially, Kelvin tries to rid himself of Hari's double, but she invariably returns. Gradually, a bond forms between them, and Kelvin begins to perceive her as a living person. The copy of Hari also becomes aware of her nature and suffers because of it. Realizing she is causing Kelvin pain, she first attempts suicide, then asks Snaut and Sartorius to destroy her, which they do through annihilation. Before this, the scientists conduct an experiment, sending modulated X-ray radiation with Kelvin's encephalogram to the ocean. As a result, the "guests" cease to appear, but strange islands emerge on the ocean's surface. The film concludes with a scene where Kelvin returns to Earth to his father (Nikolai Grinko), and they stand frozen on the doorstep in a pose reminiscent of Rembrandt's painting "The Return of the Prodigal Son." However, it soon becomes clear that this is not Earth, but one of the islands in the ocean of Solaris.