Małgorzata Szumowska & Michał Englert • Poland • 2020
Zhenia arrives from the East with barely a suitcase, a folding massage bed draped over his shoulder. Navigating a series of highway underpasses to the Polish immigration office, he declares his intention to stay. Zhenia may or may not have magical abilities—after stamping his residence permit himself, he is soon embedded in a suburban gated community. Despite the shiny veneer of these wealthy residents' lives, they harbor untold sadness, secrets and longing. Something about Zhenia's hands heals these icy figures, who never bother to inquire of his wellbeing or enigmatic past.
A beguiling, atmospheric tale of a Ukrainian migrant in Eastern Europe, Never Gonna Snow Again touches upon themes of immigration and climate change in a spellbinding social satire. From prolific Romanian director Małgorzata Szumowska (Mug, Body, The Other Lamb) and frequent collaborator Michał Englert, Never Gonna Snow Again premiered at Camerimage, Telluride, Göteborg, and the Venice International Film Festival, where it won a Special Mention. Never Gonna Snow Again was Poland's official submission to the 93rd Academy Awards. It was not nominated.