Aniara Ending Explained, Review, Plot Summary, and More
by Ushapriyanga
Updated Apr 01, 2023
Aniara Wiki
Aniara is a science fiction film released in 2018, which is based on the 1956 Swedish epic poem of the same name, written by Harry Martinson. The film was directed and written by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja. The story is set in a bleak future where the planet is suffering from the devastating effects of climate change. In an attempt to flee from the planet's destruction, people migrate en masse to Mars. However, during one of these trips, the spaceship Aniara deviates from its path, leaving the passengers struggling to survive in their new, unexpected reality. Aniara premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival and was later released theatrically in 2019 by Magnolia Pictures.
Aniara Ending Explained
As the years pass by, the Aniara's crew continues to struggle to survive in their uncertain fate. In the fifth year, they receive a probe that they hope could contain fuel or bring rescue, but it turns out to be a disappointment. The crew loses hope, and tensions rise as Captain Chefone becomes increasingly irrational, leading to the tragic death of the ship's astronomer. Meanwhile, the Mimarobe works on her projection device, bringing temporary relief to the passengers by projecting a waterfall onto the spaceship's dark windows. However, the situation deteriorates as the passengers and crew face food and water scarcity, and Isagel commits suicide, leaving the Mimarobe devastated.
After ten years in space, the few remaining crew members celebrate their voyage's anniversary, but their situation is dire, with contaminated algae tanks and a ship descending into darkness. In the 24th year of the voyage, a group of survivors sits in a dimly lit room, discussing the divine power of sunlight on Earth, as the ship slowly approaches its final destination. In a haunting final scene, the Aniara reaches the Lyra constellation after over five million years, with the ship being frozen and devoid of life. The movie ends on a bittersweet note as the Aniara approaches a planet that is as welcoming and verdant as Earth once was, but it is too late for the ship's crew and passengers.
Aniara Plot
The Aniara is a spacecraft that carries passengers from Earth to Mars after a catastrophic event on Earth. Emelie Garbers works on the ship as a Mimarobe, responsible for the Mima, an artificial intelligence that creates virtual-reality experiences of Earth's past for the passengers. However, during the ship's voyage, it veers off course to avoid space debris and sustains damage to its nuclear reactor, resulting in a loss of fuel and navigational control. The captain assures everyone that they will be able to resume their journey to Mars, but the Mimarobe's roommate reveals the truth that they are stuck and unable to return to their original course.
As time passes, the Mima becomes a crucial tool for passengers to cope with their fears and anxieties. However, after three years, it becomes overwhelmed and self-destructs, leading to the Mimarobe's imprisonment. Cults emerge, and the Mimarobe and her lover Isagel join a fertility cult dedicated to Mima, leading to Isagel becoming pregnant. The Mimarobe wants to build a beam-screen to help alleviate Isagel's depression, but the captain forbids her and orders her to focus on educating the children. In the fifth year, a probe is detected heading towards the Aniara, possibly for rescue. However, when it arrives, the crew cannot determine its origin or purpose. They eventually lose hope of it being a rescue and the captain becomes violent towards those who express doubts, leading to the death of the astronomer.
Aniara Review
The film "Aniara" is an outstanding example of contemporary science fiction. The story takes place on a giant spacecraft, also named Aniara, that carries a group of fortunate passengers away from a doomed Earth. However, after the ship's nuclear fuel supply is jettisoned due to an accident caused by space debris, the craft and its passengers drift aimlessly in space, waiting for a gravitational field to guide them back on course. The film, directed and written by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, draws inspiration from a 1956 Swedish epic poem of the same name by Nobel Laureate Harry Martinson. The film's production design is impressive, and the cinematography by Sophie Winqvist captures the mood and tenor of the direction effectively. The main character, Mimaroben (played by Emelie Jonsson), is responsible for the Mima room, where users can experience virtual reality versions of their own memories. The film's story is divided into chapters, each focusing on the passengers' deteriorating mental state as they face the grim reality of their situation. The film is a thought-provoking meditation on existential despair, and although it might not appeal to those looking for positive and uplifting stories, it is a bracing and impactful work of cinema.
Aniara Trailer
Aniara Ending Explained - FAQs
Aniara is a film adaptation of a Swedish epic poem by Harry Martinson, which was first published in 1956. The film was released in 2018 and was directed by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja.
Aniara tells the story of a spaceship that is carrying human colonists from Earth to Mars. After an accident, the ship is thrown off course and the passengers are forced to face the prospect of living out the rest of their lives on the spaceship.
The central character of Aniara is a woman known as the Mimaroben, played by Emelie Jonsson. She is in charge of a special room on the spaceship called the Mima, which contains large color-pulsating panels and creates a virtual reality of their own memories.
Aniara was inspired by the 1956 Swedish epic poem of the same name by Harry Martinson. It has also been adapted into an opera by Karl-Birger Blomdahl in 1959 and made into a film in 1960.