Last and First Men

Last and First Men

Two billion years ahead of us, the human race is on the verge of extinction, beaming a message (narrated by Tilda Swinton) to the present day. Jóhann Jóhannson’s swan song is a stunning concoction of futuristic images of the otherworldly stone monuments erected in the former Yugoslavian communist era, accompanied by the late composer’s mesmerizing score. A haunting allegory on the illusion of utopia and the harrowing decay of our civilization.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.


Direction: Jóhann Jóhannsson
Script: Olaf Stapledon (book) Jóhann Jóhannsson, José Enrique Macián (adaptation)
Cinematography: Sturla Brandth Grøvlen
Editing: Mark Bukdahl
Sound: Jana Irmert, Peter Albrechtsen
Music: Jóhann Jóhannsson, Yair Elazar Glotman
Production: Zik Zak Filmworks
Producers: Jóhann Jóhannsson, Thor S. Sigurjonsson, Sturla Brandth Grøvlen
Format: DCP
Color: B&W
Production Country: Iceland
Production Year: 2020
Duration: 71'
Contact: Films Boutique

Jóhann Jóhannsson

The Icelandic composer and filmmaker Jóhann Jóhannsson (1969–2018) published his first solo album Englabörn in 2002. He wrote the score for a number of films, including several by Denis Villeneuve. In 2015, he won the Golden Globe for Best Original Score for his work on the Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything. In the same year, he made his debut short film as a director, End of Summer. Last and First Men is based on a multimedia work which was presented as a live performance at the Manchester International Festival in 2017 and involved the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

Filmography

2020 Last and First Men