Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev has long been a favourite with critics and artfilm fans. His astonishing 2003 drama 'The Return' won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, was nominated for a Golden Globe and took home awards from festivals all over the world. 'The Banishment' (2007) won best actor at the Cannes Film Festival, and his 2011 film 'Elena' won a special prize at Cannes along with several other awards.

'Leviathan'
'Leviathan' is Russis's entry to the Academy Awards

And now this year's 'Leviathan' looks poised to dominate awards season. 'Leviathan' premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where it took the best screenplay prize. It has since travelled to festivals around the world, taking the best film award at London, Munich and Abu Dhabi. It's been acclaimed at festivals from Toronto and Telluride to Korea and New Zealand.

More: Watch the trailer for 'Leviathan'

The film opens this week in Britain, and is due to open next month in Russia and America. It's the riveting, globally resonant story of a man trying to protect his family and his home from a local politician who is forcing him to sell his house/workplace far below market value. But can he take on city hall, even with the help of a slick lawyer friend? The film has echoes of the biblical 'Book of Job' as well as English writer Thomas Hobbes' book 'Leviathan', exploring the balance of power between politics and religion. But it's not a cerebral exercise: this is visceral, involving cinema on a scale we rarely see.

More: 'Leviathan' Movie Review

'Leviathan' is Russia's official entry to the Oscars this year, and it's a favourite to get a nomination. It could easily win the award itself in February.