Aniara (2019)

"Poetic Science Fiction"

The iconic science fiction poem by Swedish Nobel laureate Harry Martinson gets adapted for the screen in this new Blu-ray release from Arrow Films.

Not far into the future. Climate change has rendered the earth unliveable. What is left of humanity that can afford it is travelling to Mars aboard giant luxury space cruise liners. The journey is intended to take three weeks.

Unfortunately for those aboard the Aniara, the ship encounters space debris that knocks out the engines and sets them off course. Drifting in space, their only chance is to encounter a planet they can use the gravity of to help correct their course. The problem is that space is vast and the closest celestial body is going to take a very long time to reach.

Very much feeling like a prequel to such classic SF novels as Brian Aldiss' Non Stop and Robert Heinlein's Orphans of the Sky, ANIARA takes as its viewpoint character a woman known as the Mimaroben (Emelie Johnson). She assists the passengers in using the onboard MIMA, a device that can tap into an individual's memories to help them relive more pleasant times on earth. When the ship goes off course and those onboard become desperate, MIMA becomes overloaded and its fate reflects the societal breakdown that is taking place on board.

Epic in scope while remaining very much a human piece, ANIARA goes against the popular TV adventure series concept of space, reminding us that it is vast and empty and the chances of randomly coming across anything is pretty much zero. The movie isn't exactly grim but don't expect a happy ending.

Arrow's Blu-ray comes with a commentary track from co-directors Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, who also take part in a separate interview where they talk about how most of the movie was shot in locations like shopping centres and on ferries. If that's true, Sweden has some of the nicest shiniest shopping centres and ferries I have ever seen.

There are also interviews with the production designer, sound designer and VFX supervisor. Also on the disc is the directors' award-winning 'short' (well, it's thirty minutes) THE UNLIVING about how humanity is trying to rebuild itself after a zombie apocalypse. Finally, if you get the first pressing there's also a booklet with new writing on the film from Anne Billson.

ANIARA is out on Blu-ray from Arrow Films on 

Monday 21st October 2019