‘Last And First Men’ Trailer: Tilda Swinton Narrates Jóhann Jóhannsson’s First & Only Directorial Effort

Jóhann Jóhannsson is a name that excites many film fans. Mostly known for his incredible film scores for features such as “Mandy,” “Arrival,” “Sicario,” and “Prisoners,” Jóhannsson also took the time to direct his first and only feature, “Last and First Men.”

READ MORE: ‘Last And First Men’: Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Directorial Debut Is An Awe-Inspiring Experience [Berlin Review]

Debuting at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival, “Last and First Men” is finally heading to the big screen and we now have a trailer for the one-of-a-kind feature. Narrated by Tilda Swinton, based on a novel by Olaf Stapleton, the sci-fi film tells the story of humanity on the verge of extinction two billion years into the future. The film showcases the few remains of humanity, which are primarily Brutalist stone architecture pieces in the former Yogolav republics. The film is shot in stunning 16mm black and white, and of course, it features a score by Jóhannsson. 

As mentioned, “Last and First Men” holds the sad distinction of being the only film directed by Jóhann Jóhannsson. The famous composer sadly passed away in 2018 and this experimental sci-fi feature is his only directorial outing. “Last and First Men” debuts at Metrograph on December 10, where you can see it at the theater or through VOD. You can watch the trailer below.

Here’s the synopsis:

Two billion years in the future, humanity finds itself on the verge of extinction. Almost all that remains are lone, surreal monuments—the futuristic, solemn, Brutalist stone slabs erected during the communist era in the former Yugoslav republics, arrestingly photographed in luminous 16mm black-and-white. A stunning feature debut and final cinematic testament from the late composer and musician Jóhann Jóhannsson (Sicario, Arrival, Mandy) conjures a world of surreal and phantasmagorical monuments, once intended as symbols of unity and brotherhood, now abandoned beacons beaming their message into the wilderness. Based on the cult 1930 science fiction novel by British author Olaf Stapledon, with narration by Tilda Swinton, Last and First Men is a poetic, hopeful, and tragic work: an allegory of remembrance, ideals, and the death of Utopia.