Essential Killing

A gripping, relentless, and deeply bleak depiction of persecution and flight, charged with provocative political undertones. The pure, elemental story follows an Afghan man who escapes from captivity by American troops, struggling to stay alive while being chased across the remote snowy wilderness. Made with tremendous confidence, Skolimowski’s film of survival establishes a stunning character through the unforgiving landscape and his predicament, exploring the boundaries of human resistance under extreme circumstances. Vincent Gallo invests the character with desperation and resilience in a career-best performance that won him the Best Actor Award at Venice.

Venice Film Festival: Special Jury Prize and Best Actor