Another Earth

ANOTHER EARTH (15)
D: Mike Cahill
Fox Searchlight (Hunter Gray, Mike Cahill, Brit Marling & Nicholas Shumaker)
USA 🇺🇸 2011
95 mins
 
Science Fiction/Drama
 
W: Mike Cahill & Brit Marling
DP: Mike Cahill
Ed: Mike Cahill
Mus: Fall On Your Sword
 
Brit Marling (Rhoda Williams), William Mapother (John Burroughs), Robin Taylor (Jeff Williams), Jordan Baker (Kim Williams), Kumar Pallana (Purdeep)
 
Both the title & the synopsis imply this movie is of a the science fiction genre, but the sci-fi element in the story is incredibly subtle, allowing the main focus to be on the pensive, tender drama at the heart of its tale.
Brit Marling plays MIT student Rhoda Williams, who, on the same night as the discovery of a doppelgänger planet in our solar system, is involved in a car accident which leaves musician John Burroughs (William Mapother) without his wife and child.
After Rhodes serves four years in prison for manslaughter, she visits the now reclusive Burroughs to apologise for her crime, but instead ends up getting involved in a close friendship with him, all while the great minds of Planet Earth are attempting to make contact with the alternative one.
For an independent, low budget film, this borders on excellent. The visuals are stunningly realised, the two central performances outstanding and it raises some intelligent, philosophical and thought-provoking questions, especially with its ambiguous final moments.
7/10

Another Earth
Another Earth
Did You Know:
Director Mike Cahill began shooting the film in his hometown, with a single HD camcorder, before he even acquired any funding.

Award Wins & Nominations:


MILSTEAD MOVIE AWARDS:

Wins: 1 (Best Breakthrough Performance)

Nominations: 3 (Best Actress in a Leading Role; Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Screenplay - Original)


OSCARS:

Wins: none

Nominations: none


BAFTAS

Wins: none

Nominations: none


OTHER WINS:

National Board of Review (Top 10 Independent Films of the Year); San Diego Film Critics (Best Actress); Sitges - Catalonian Film Festival (Best Actress); Sundance Film Festival (Feature Film Prize, Special Jury Prize)