The Loneliest Planet

The Loneliest Planet is a 2011 American drama thriller film written and directed by Julia Loktev, based on the short story Expensive Trips Nowhere by Tom Bissell, published in his collection God Lives in St. Petersburg. Starring Gael García Bernal and Hani Furstenberg, the film follows a young couple who travel with a local guide through a twisted backpacking trip across the Georgian wilderness. The Loneliest Planet premiered at the Locarno Film Festival on August 11, 2011, followed by its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2011. The film was theatrically released in the United States was on October 26, 2012, to positive reviews from critics. It went on to be screened at the New York Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival, and the 2011 AFI Fest in Los Angeles, where it won the Grand Jury Prize. Plot Alex (Gael García Bernal) and Nica (Hani Furstenberg) are in love and engaged to be married. They are seasoned travelers on a trip in the country of Georgia, formerly a republic of the Soviet Union. They hire a local guide (Bidzina Gujabidze) to take them backpacking through the breathtaking scenery of the Caucasus Mountains.