Zhenia, a Russian-speaking immigrant from the East, works as a masseur in Poland and becomes a guru-like figure in a wealthy gated community of his clients.
“Never Gonna Snow Again” blends sci-fi and fantasy into an original story centered on Zhenia (Alec Utgoff), a mysterious man from the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Now living in Poland, he’s a masseuse for residents of a wealthy gated community. Though secured in large McMansions, the residents’ anxieties stemming from climate change, prejudice, or other existential issues, come pouring out during the unique massage sessions. Zhenia’s touch transports his clients to a magical forest where they find inner peace before astroplaning back to their physical bodies.
Zhenia’s clients consist of a woman who’s worried about the environment, another woman who questions her marriage since her absentee husband is always working out, and many others. While all of the residents become enraptured by Zhenia, Wika (Weronika Rosati) becomes infatuated with him. Wika is overwhelmed due to her husband’s cancer worsening and the inevitable challenge of raising a son alone. When Zhenia has flashbacks of his childhood in Pripyat, the ticking sound of a Geiger meter echoes throughout and nuclear fallout fills the screen like snow. And when he begins using hypnosis during his massage sessions, there are some very interesting results.
Malgorzata Szumowska and Michael Englert share writing and directing duties and although the screenplay is a bit puzzling, it is moving throughout. Englert’s cinematography capturing the gated community and the abandoned site of Chernobyl with animals roaming free is absolutely brilliant. Their film is aware of man-made disasters and even the McMansions look like an invasive species taking over the dwindling green landscape. This isn’t an angry film, more of a testament to enduring love and humanity. While I’m still confused about some things, I’m looking forward to rewatching so I can decrypt more scenes.
Opens in Theaters in New York on Friday, July 30th, and in LA on Friday, August 6th, followed by a National Rollout
