“As a haunted ode to lost love, SOLARIS has few equals in all of cinema.” - Chris Barsanti, Medium
“The film has a hypnotic pull, drawing the viewer deeper and deeper into its enigmatic adventure by crafting a world all its own.” - Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
Ground control has been receiving mysterious transmissions from the three remaining residents of the Solaris space station. When cosmonaut and psychologist Kris Kelvin is dispatched to investigate, he experiences the same strange phenomena that afflict the Solaris crew, sending him on a voyage into the darkest recesses of his consciousness. With SOLARIS, the legendary Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky created a brilliantly original science-fiction epic that challenges our conceptions about love, truth, and humanity itself.
Awards & Nominations
1972 Cannes Film Festival - Winner, Grand Prize of the Jury
1972 Cannes Film Festival - Winner, FIPRESCI Prize
1972 Cannes Film Festival - Nominee, Palme d'Or
1972 Chicago International Film Festival - Nominee, Gold Hugo
Andrei Tarkovsky Retrospective
August 29–September 30, 2026
Born in Moscow and ending his life in exile, filmmaker, screenwriter, and film theorist, Andrei Tarkovsky (1932–1986) created some of cinema’s most indelible images in his relatively small filmography. Employing an innovative approach to cinematic time and painstaking world-building, Tarkovsky’s films are rich metaphysical explorations into historical and 20th-century Russian and Soviet life. Born to literary parents, his movies exhibit an innate poetic sensibility; small gestures and grand set-pieces become rich expressions of inner life, spirituality, and shared anxiety. Working often with cinematographer Vadim Yusov, Tarkovsky created a visual style that feels contemporary even 40 years after his death.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu