He Who Puts Out the Light


He Who Puts Out the Light is a 2008 Russian thriller drama film directed by Andrey Libenson in his feature film directorial debut.
The film is based on the story Dark Water by Oleg Osipov.
It was released theatrically in Russia on 2 October 2008.

Plot

For the second month in a row, Saint Petersburg is terrorized by a serial killer. Every Wednesday, a girl aged between nine and twelve becomes his victim. The extreme brutality of the murders plunges the city into panic. Parents are afraid to let their children go outside alone, while the press fuels fear and hysteria, harshly criticizing law enforcement for failing to catch the killer.
The investigation is led by police captain Pyotr Moiseev, whose nerves are stretched to the limit. Completely absorbed in the case, he distances himself from his family and life outside work.
A chain of mysterious murders leads Moiseev to the provincial town of Svetlogorsk. To uncover the truth, he must unravel the dark secrets of this seemingly quiet place. Meanwhile, the killer makes it clear that he is close—and that another murder is planned for the coming Wednesday. Moiseev must not only stop the maniac, but also confront his own fear.

Cast

The film was shot under the working title The Sovereign.
Principal photography took place in towns of Leningrad Oblast, primarily in Kirovsk.
For the final scene, in which a car sinks beneath the ice, a large water tank was constructed at the Volkhov Hydroelectric Station. Stunts were performed by a team of St. Petersburg stunt professionals led by Oleg Korytin.

Release

The film competed in the main competition of the 19th Open Russian Film Festival Kinotavr in Sochi.
It was also screened at the 2008 Montreal [World Film Festival].
The nationwide Russian theatrical release took place on 2 October 2008.
The television premiere aired on NTV on 20 March 2009.