On a tiny, remote island, drama critic Alexander (Josephson) gathers with his family for a birthday celebration. While planting a tree on the shoreline with his six-year-old son, Alexander's idyllic get-away is disrupted by a radio bulletin announcing that nuclear holocaust is imminent. Shaken to the core, Alexander pleads with God to undo the catastrophe, and promises to sacrifice anything or anyone to reverse the consequences.

Completed while he was dying from cancer, Tarkovsky's "Sacrifice" is a late masterwork by the Russian director that tackles nothing less than the profound spiritual emptiness of modern humanity. Impeccably acted by an all-Swedish cast (including Ingmar Bergman regular Josephson) and lensed by the great Sven Nykvist, this film is haunting, gorgeous, and truly unforgettable. Ultimately, it warns that in our race to achieve scientific mastery over the natural world, we are destroying the planet, and ourselves. Immersed in the poetic imagery and long-duration shots Tarkovsky is known for,"The Sacrifice" is a revelatory experience.