Conceived in an epic form, Tarkovsky’s film represents the peak of the Russian director’s cinematic career, exemplifying what he called a "poetic, philosophical, and spiritual cinema." Two disenchanted intellectuals wish to explore the Zone, a mysterious region at the center of which a room, said to offer knowledge of one’s most secret desires, is located. The men hire a stalker for their guide, whose obsession with the Zone takes on religious and mystical overtones.

Hungarian theater and film director János Szász has gained international acclaim for his distinctive method of blending precise psychological acting with spectacular choreography and scenic design. János Szász returns this season to the American Repertory Theatre to direct Chekov’s Uncle Vanya, a production influenced greatly by Tarkovsky’s Stalker.