Offret
"The final film of Andrei Tarkovsky"
The Sacrifice - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
In the beginning was the Word. Why is that, Papa?
— Little Man
Context:
Spoken by the boy as he lies under the barren tree after his father has been taken away in the ambulance.
Meaning:
The final line of the film, spoken by the previously mute child. It signifies the return of the Word, not as empty chatter, but as a vessel of truth and a new beginning, cycling back to the biblical opening of John.
I will give Thee all I have. I'll give up my family, whom I love. I'll destroy my house... I'll be mute, and never speak another word to anyone.
— Alexander
Context:
Alexander prays alone in the darkness of his room while the others are downstairs, after hearing the news of the war.
Meaning:
The core vow of the film. It defines the absolute nature of the sacrifice required to avert the apocalypse—a total renunciation of the self and worldly attachments.
Every gift involves a sacrifice. If not, what kind of gift would it be?
— Otto
Context:
Otto says this while giving Alexander a framed antique map as a birthday present.
Meaning:
A philosophical key to the film's premise. It suggests that true giving hurts and requires giving up something of value, foreshadowing Alexander's ultimate act.