Attraction

A big-budget Russian sci-fi action-drama, Attraction (directed with verve by Fedor Bondarchuk) was a massive hit in its home territory. Its combination of action, humour, stunning special effects as well as the story of Yulya, the teen daughter of a Moscow military chief, who bonds with a remarkably hunky alien after his spacecraft is shot down in the city, struck a chord with audiences. It's a blend of Starman and Independence Day, with a good old moral tale at its core. (Edinburgh International Film Festival)