“A movie to be watched as many times as physically possible... It really is that astounding.” - David Jenkins, Little White Lies
“A tangled knot of memories, fears, fantasies, nightmares, paradoxical impulses, and a yearning for something that's simultaneously beyond our reach and yet intrinsic to every one of us.” - Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
One of the most immersive and rarefied experiences in the history of cinema, STALKER embarks on a metaphysical journey through an enigmatic post-apocalyptic landscape. A hired guide—the “Stalker” of the title—leads a writer and a scientist into the heart of the Zone, the restricted site of a long-ago disaster, where the three men eventually zero in on the Room, a place rumored to fulfill one’s most deeply held desires. Adapting a science-fiction novel by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, and making what would be his final Soviet feature, Tarkovsky created a challenging and visually stunning work, his painstaking attention to material detail and sense of organic atmosphere further enriched by this vivid new digital restoration. At once a religious allegory, a reflection of contemporary political anxieties, and a meditation on film itself—among many other interpretations—STALKER envelops the viewer by opening up a multitude of possible meanings.
Awards and Nominations
Winner - Winner, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, Cannes Film Festival
Nominee - Best Film, Cahiers du Cinéma
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