Alpha: Prehistoric survival drama about a young warrior of the Solutrean tribe who struggles for bare survival against the brutal conditions of the Ice Age.
Film plot and background
21,000 years ago, the world is in the grip of ice. Scientists now believe that 32% of the Northern Hemisphere was covered by glaciers during the last Ice Age. In this inhospitable time, the Solutreans struggle to survive. When a hunting expedition fails, a young Solutrean fighter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) must stand alone against merciless nature. In his fight for survival, he not only has to deal with the merciless climate. Animal hunters also have it in for the seemingly easy prey.
“Alpha” backgrounds
Originally, the prehistoric survival drama “Alpha” was supposed to be released under the title “Solutrean”. This would have established the reference to the archaeological culture of the same name right at the beginning, which lived in southern Europe in the period from 22,000 to 18,00 years before Christ. Tools and rock paintings of the Solutreans were found mainly in France. The culture was named after the French town of Solutré-Pouilly, the site of impressive stone and bone tools from the Upper Palaeolithic. The hypothesis that Solutrée settlers had already discovered and colonised America during the Ice Age is still disputed today.
At its core, “Alpha” revolves around a survival story that is to be staged in the style of “The Revenent”. Director Albert Hughes, who made films like “From Hell” and “The Book of Eli” together with his brother Allen Hughes, is responsible for the cinematic realisation. “Alpha” is now Albert’s first solo effort.
