The Last Station

Both nominated for Academy Awards for their performances, Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer in a sumptuous period love story set in the last year of the life of legendary writer Leo Tolstoy. When Valentin (James McAvoy) get a new job as personal secretary to the legendary writer Leo Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer), he is delighted at the opportunity it will give him. What he hasn’t anticipated is being pulled into a fierce struggle for Tolstoy’s legacy. Behind the scenes, Tolstoy’s wife, the Countess Sofya (Helen Mirren) and his disciple, Vladimir (Paul Giamatti), are engaged in a feud for the control of Tolstoy’s works once he passes away.

Chertkov feels that the works should be the property of the people, while Sofya is concerned for her family’s wellbeing and wants to see them provided for. When Valentin’s feelings for the feisty Masha (Kerry Condon), another young disciple, grow, the Countess acts as his confidante and he soon finds his loyalties divided. As passions flare, the infighting drives Tolstoy from his home and he sets off across the country with his daughter Sasha (Anne-Marie Duff) in search of some peace. But with his health failing him, the battle for the writer’s legacy shows no sign of abating.