Germany, Russia, 2009, 112 min.

Director: Michael Hoffman
Writer: Michael Hoffman, Jay Parini
Producer: Chris Curling, Jens Meurer, Bonnie Arnold
Cast: Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, James McAvoy, Paul Giamatti, Anne-Marie Duff
Release: 2009/10/18

	Video-Interview: Costanza Guerrini talks to Michael Hoffman

A historical drama that illustrates Russian author Leo Tolstoy's struggle to balance fame and wealth with his commitment to a life devoid of material things.

The Last Station is a love story set during the last year of the life and turbulent marriage of the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and his wife the Countess Sofya.

Tolstoy, having rejected his title and embraced an ascetic lifestyle, finds himself increasingly at odds with Sofya. As his devoted disciple Vladimir Chertkov urges him to sign a new will leaving the rights to his work to the Russian people rather than his family, the conflict between husband and wife grows to breaking point.

The Last Station is a film about the difficulty of living with love and the impossibility of living without it.

Plot: After almost fifty years of marriage, the Countess Sofya, Leo Tolstoy's devoted wife, suddenly finds her entire world turned upside down. In the name of his newly created religion, the great Russian novelist has renounced his noble title and his property in favour of poverty, vegetarianism and even celibacy. What's more, Tolstoy may have been persuaded by his disciple, Chertkov, to leave the rights to his iconic novels to the Russian people rather than his own family. The woman uses every strategy at her disposal to fiercely fight against the libertarian community that is installed in her house; trying to win back what she feels belongs to her. Ostracised from Tolstoy, she only manages to see him as he is dying, in the last station.

Video-Interview: Costanza Guerrini talks to Michael Hoffman