The story is based on real events
Artyom
Tell Mom I'll come over in 2 weeks.
I just can't right now.
Alright.
I'm going to Leningrad.
I have to do something before the semester starts.
You seem worn out. Something up at university?
No, same as always. They're always bickering.
Is everyone all right at home?
Yes, thank God.
You started believing in God?
There goes your niece with her fiancé.
How's your Slava?
I haven't seen him for ages.
Last time I was at your place he was at some holiday camp.
He worries me.
They're different from us. I don't understand him.
We work hard. He gets everything he needs.
But he doesn't respect us.
Despises us even.
I forced him into school so he wouldn't get sent to Afghanistan.
You think he studies?
No! Just "hangs out" all day.
- You know that phrase? - Yes.
Underground concerts. Rock.
Every day I'm waiting for a call from the police.
Look at his last photo.
Not bad!
All my life I've done what I was supposed to.
But nobody needs that now. I'm not needed.
I'm not old, but I know something's gone.
and I don't understand what's coming.
When Andropov died,
everyone started stirring.
In our Faculty and the Scientific Communism Faculty
That's not to even mention the students.
Hello, Uncle Artyom.
- Hi, Liza. - Hello.
I haven't seen you for 2 whole months.
Are you staying long?
No, I'll be off soon to visit your grandmother.
How's my cousin Slava?
Always hanging out.
This is my friend, Valera.
Valera Buadze - half Georgian, though I've never been there.
Kazakov, Artyom Nikolaevich, from Leningrad.
Dad, we'll have a quick cup of tea in the kitchen.
I have to get up early, and I still have to get ready.
He's really her fiancé?
Of course not. I was kidding.
But I think she likes him.
He's not a bad kid. No dummy.
He works up north every year and
comes back with good money.
I'm a high-ranking colonel and
he makes 3 times what I do.
He's just a kid with his own car. And not a car like yours.
You see, it's not that simple here, Artyom.
- So he doesn't study? - No.
Why isn't he in the army?
He's not from around here. He lives with some grandmom.
I help him.
You know what's happening in Afghanistan now.
They've already brought back 26 coffins.
Artyom, 26!
It's called Cargo 200.
Imagine the rest of the country...
Just watch out, Mikhail.
Cargo 200
So, who's your uncle?
Head of the Scientific Atheism Faculty at Leningrad University.
Right.
He helped me enroll last year.
Are we going to the disco?
I said I wanted to get some sleep and get ready.
You said the sooner we leave, the sooner we'll get there.
And the guys will be coming at 6:30.
We won't go for long.
Valera, no!
Well, it's up to you.
You should get some sleep too. You have to drive.
It's a long way, and you said the road's bad.
Don't worry about me. I've been on worse roads.
Thanks for Liza.
Come on-- Liza's a smart girl. She'd have gotten in anyway.
Where's she going so early?
To Yara.
Her friend's got a dacha there.
A group of them are going there to swim and pick mushrooms.
They're a good bunch. It's just for a couple of days.
I could pick her up on the way back to Leningrad.
She'll manage on the bus.
Alright. I'll call you from Mom's when I'm leaving.
Thanks for the food.
It's getting harder to find it around here.
Is anything left for Mom?
Yes, I filled up 2 bags.
Well... I'm off.
Hi, Valera.
- Hi. - Where's Liza?
Liza? She went to bed early.
We're leaving early tomorrow.
Don't you recognize me?
It's me, Angelica, Liza's friend!
We're going to my dacha tomorrow!
Of course I recognized you.
Want to dance?
Ok! Just a second! Stay here!
OK.
Good evening. Is this your house?
Sorry to bother you. I'm going to Leninsk and my car stalled.
I couldn't flag anyone down.
I saw your house. I thought maybe someone here knows cars.
Thank you.
Hello.
Is this your house?
It's a good gun. A Simpson.
I hunt too. I've got my granddad's Simpson
Want some vodka?
What?
I'm on my way to Leninsk, but my engine stalled.
Nobody would stop. I thought, maybe, you could help.
I saw your lights from the road.
Tonya! Sit down.
Thank you.
Tonya!
Hello.
Where's Sunka?
- In the banya. - Get him.
And get us dinner. How long do I have to wait?
Where're you from?
Leningrad. I'm going to my mother's in Leninsk.
- What's your name? - Kazakov, Artyom Nikolaevich.
First name's fine-- I'm Alexei.
Hang on, we'll try to help.
An engineer?
No, I teach scientific atheism at the university.
Sunka!
Come on. The boss is calling you.
One second.
Which comes first, matter or consciousness?
Marxist-Leninist philosophy denies the idea of God...
and the belief that the world is incomprehensible.
No, professor, just tell me -
is there a God or not?
That's what I'm trying to explain.
You called, Boss?
Get some more from the banya.
The professor and I are having trouble sorting this out.
Yes, sir.
The boss asked for some from the banya.
A customer?
No. He's a professor.
Hear that, Tonya? Our professor says there's no God.
So, there's no God?
No.
- What is it? - Mushroom soup.
Well, what is there then?
There is moving material that we perceive.
Right. And the soul? Is there a soul?
No, Alexei, there's no soul either.
What about the car?
Here.
So Artyom,
that means there's no God or soul,
but there's consciousness and material.
Where did consciousness come from then, for example?
Alexei, this is pointless.
There is Darwin's Theory. It's taught in school.
I'm to believe a monkey raised a stick...
and abstract thought appeared?
Let's drink.
No, I can't, thank you. I have to get to Leninsk.
How?
- Alright, I'll be off. - Hang on!
Don't offend the hosts.
We've opened our souls to you, even though you don't have one.
There, that's our way, professor.
Eat the soup. Tonya's soup is great.
Try our cucumbers.
Sunka, after you've eaten, take the professor's car key.
Go take a look.
So, Artyom, there's nothing there.
Alexei, I'm a Gnostic. I believe the world is comprehensible.
I don't believe in the supernatural.
Can you do it?
The plugs need to clean... and carburetor.
Give me rag.
- Will it take long? - Need half of hour.
- You're Chinese? - No, I'm Vietnamese.
Why do they call you Sunka?
I'm Suan Van Hei.
It comes out Sunka in Russian.
I worked a big factory in Leninsk.
They took me on here
to pour vodka and garden.
I like it here. I like the garden.
- I'll go inside, it's cold here. - OK.
Here.
So, you're a Communist?
I'm a member of the Party.
What are you boasting for?
All the evil's from you Communists.
You want to replace God with your Party, with your Lenin.
You can all get stuffed!
There's no God, so everything's allowed-- remember?
You're allowed to kill millions.
When I was a kid I killed a guy by accident.
I confessed
so no one else would get blamed.
I got ten years of hard labor!
I could've kept quiet, but my conscience wouldn't let me!
God wouldn't let me keep quiet!
And you want to abolish God!
So you came up with a science for it.
You know, Alexei, moral standards...
are governed by material and economic relations.
Phenomena such as morals, duty and conscience...
formed in primitive societies
long before Christianity.
Semi-instinctive feelings coming from the need to observe taboos.
The Ten Commandments from the Old Testament
were observed long before they were written down.
Correct. God gave us the commandments.
They were always there. They just got written down later.
And don't frighten me
with your smart words. Taboo!
We've read books too.
Now that's music, not like in the club.
That's it.
All gone.
Valera, it's already late.
I know a place nearby with great booze.
It's better than in the shops.
Valera, that's enough. We have to get up early.
It's not far at all.
My car's so hot we'll be there in a flash.
And then I'll take you right to your door. Like new!
The City of the Sun is the clearest example of a utopia.
Campanella wasn't the first down that road.
It's a dream...
born out of class-consciousness.
What about your class-consciousness?
I've never seen the likes of the sausage you're eating.
You talk nonsense.
And corrupt kid's souls, in order to eat that sausage!
I guess you're living in communism, by the Party plans.
You don't need a City of the Sun.
But I need it!
And I'll build it!
Not on the scale of your shitty Union, but here, on this land.
It'll all be different. Tonka will bear me children.
People will come.
And we won't have to rely on you scavengers!
It's ready, boss.
The motor working.
Only no go to Leninsk.
You might not make it.
I won't make it anywhere right now.
You need to clean carburetor and do repairs.
Thank you, Suan Van Hei.
Thank you.
- You said it wasn't far. - We're already there.
I'll just be a second.
Hi, I've come for some booze.
You're doing well, I see. The business is growing?
Tell Sunka to bring a bottle of the strong stuff. I ran out.
Tonya!
Tell Sunka to bring a bottle.
Customer...
So, how's your City of the Sun? Blooming?
You! City scum! Leave what's sacred alone.
OK, OK, Alexei.
I was just kidding.
My god!
The main thing, guys, is bread!
You got bread,
you get head!
That's enough already.
Aunt Tonya, bring some of your delicious pickles.
And you, Sunka, bring another one, but make it pure.
I mean, are we men or what? I'll pay double.
I lived with the Nenets on the White Sea.
We caught salmon.
They all drank pure grain up there.
The kids too.
You know how they drink it?
Valera!
Lica! Come in!
Sunka, give her a glass.
Valera, let's go.
Alright, we'll just drink up.
Look how they drink grain.
Without grain up there, you're finished.
You'll freeze.
He can't go in that state.
Come here.
The Nenets wear parkas and fur boots.
They hide grain in their boots.
I've got a parka too.
Drag him away.
I no do it myself.
He very big.
My father is Secretary of the Regional Committee.
It's hot.
- You came with him? - Yes.
- In what? - His car.
Can you drive?
Don't whine. I hate it.
Tonya.
Get behind the stove, fast!
And not a sound.
Where is she?
She left.
Don't lie to me, Tonya.
You won't get her anyway.
You won't give her to me?
So, your City of the Sun, will it be like this?
There are no wives in the City of the Sun. Everyone's equal.
And children are shared.
- Have you seen anyone? - Who?
- Well... - Drunk again. No, I haven't.
Bastard.
Come out.
Out into the yard, the banya's on the left.
30 meters from the banya there's a shed. The door's open.
There's a cow, but it's tame.
Close the door. Hide in the hay in the corner and keep quiet.
Tonya!
When they're all asleep, I'll come and get you.
I need to go home.
Don't whine.
You should've thought about "when and with whom." Move it!
Tonya!
Boss, the grain running out.
We need get more.
You locked the banya?
I'll sleep in the shed.
Get some firewood first.
Give me the banya key. I'll put the gun back.
- Put your boss to bed, he's bad. - He heavy.
- Hey, where are you? - Who is it?
Antonina! Come here, fast. Follow me.
It's warmer here.
Don't break anything. I'll let you out in the morning.
Ma'am! Ma'am! Please.
Ma'am! I have to get home.
Here's the key.
I'll go to the shed.
Sunka!
- Open the banya. - Alright.
My father's Secretary of the Regional Committee.
Mister, don't.
Boss, don't touch the girl.
You can't, boss.
Pull them down.
Mister, I'm still a virgin.
Get on your knees.
My fiancé's a paratrooper. In Afghanistan.
He's very tough. Special Forces.
Lift it up.
Artyom?
Let me sleep on the couch, my car broke down.
Come in, of course.
You're totally drunk!
Go on the balcony.
There's a sofa there.
The wife's on duty tonight.
Take a blanket.
How did you drive so drunk?
Mister, my shoes are back there.
Police? There's a farm on the left on the way into Kalyaevo.
There's a corpse in the banya.
Mister, I'm bleeding.
Hello.
Hello, Uncle Artyom.
Did something happen?
Her fiancé didn't arrive.
Why aren't you at work?
It's Sunday.
Go have breakfast, Katya made something.
I got back from work...
and the guys who came at 6 had already left.
Liza was in tears. And what her boyfriend did...
It's embarrassing in front of the guys.
And Angelica, her girlfriend, has disappeared.
Her father, the Party Secretary, called last night.
Said she went to a disco and didn't come back.
What's up?
Nothing.
They say there was a murder in Kalyaevo too.
Right, I'm off.
What's up with the car?
It's the spark plugs. I'll buy some on the way.
I know where.
Mom. Mom!
Sit down.
My father is Regional Secretary of the Communist Party.
He'll find you and you'll be executed.
In September there is demobilization.
My fiancé, Sergeant Gorbunov...
will come back from Afghanistan and have vengeance on you.
He loves me. He'll do anything for me.
Mister, I want to go to the toilet!
Mom! As soon as I leave you start!
My Zhurik's here!
- Drink. - What is it? I won't!
Drink.
Get some sleep.
Mister...
Artyom, you should eat something.
You've been hungry for days already.
Mom, thanks, a bit later.
Hello, I'm listening.
- Katya! It's Artyom. - Hello, Artyom.
Is Misha home?
He's still at work.
Why so long?
Bad news again.
More Cargo 200.
Mom!
Artyom, I can't talk now. Call Misha.
When does the cargo arrive?
They'll inform us later, Comrade Colonel.
We only know the aircraft is headed for Leninsky Airdrome.
Sergeant Gorbunov, he's one of ours.
Sergeant Gorbunov?
You realize, Major Duyev,
that he is Kolya Gorbunov.
He's my Liza's classmate.
I've known him since he was this high.
Kolya was killed.
His fiancée Angelica has disappeared.
And my daughter's fiancé has disappeared.
What's happening? Go on, can you tell me?
Mikhail Nikolaevich, your brother's calling from Leninsk.
Put him on.
Hello, Mikhail.
Hi, Artyom. How's Mom?
Fine. So, are you coming over?
No, I still can't. Lots of problems here.
Has Liza's fiancé turned up?
No, her girlfriend's missing too.
What happened in Kalyaevo?
On my way to Mom's
I saw loads of police.
Some local tenant killed his Vietnamese worker.
They've taken him to Leninsk, to the prosecutor's.
Mikhail Nikolaevich.
The Leninsk Military Office is on line 2.
Artyom, sorry, the district is calling. We'll talk tonight.
- This is Sukhina. - Hello, Colonel.
Are you accepting Cargo 200 the day after tomorrow?
The day after tomorrow?
Yes, you know, we need to bury an Afghan casualty.
What do you propose I do?
Help us. Get his relatives involved
He hasn't got any relatives! None!
His drunken dad's in a nuthouse! There's no one to bury him!
- How many people have you got? - It's our summer holidays...
I've got just 2 people!
I don't give a damn if yours are on holiday.
He died, by the way, for his Homeland!
Ask the police, you've got plenty of them up there!
Bastard! Shit! When will it end!
Tell the lieutenant to make some tea.
Yes, sir.
Comrade Naboev, we're searching. All of our forces are looking.
I don't give a damn! I said find her!
She's my daughter, got that?
She was last seen at a disco with a guy in a USSR T-shirt.
He's not from here. And no one knows him.
His name's Valera, but that's not confirmed.
You've got one day.
Fuck it up and you'll be a furniture mover.
Yes, sir.
What floor?
Detachment, get ready to move out!
Apartment 87, 3rd floor.
Forward.
What do you want?!
Break it open.
Take him.
- Did you make the call? - Yes. They're in there.
Everyone get up!
It's my apartment! I'm enjoying my day off with my friends.
With my own hard-earned wages. It's my right!
Get up, I said!
What are you doing here?
Who let the cops in? Get the hell out of here!
Get out!
Write it up as resisting arrest.
Take him to the car.
What are you doing?! You bastards!
And if you say a word, we'll beat him to death.
Resting? My Zhurik's back from work.
He has a difficult job
and he works very hard.
He'll eat and then come to you.
You want a drink? I've got some hidden.
You don't want any?
Well, rest then.
Your wife's a bit...
She doesn't love me, Mom.
Before me, she had a fiancé, a paratrooper.
That's right! Every woman needs a man. But you...
But, I love her.
Hello.
Kolya will come soon and kill you.
Mister,
let me go, please.
I won't tell anyone.
- What do you want? - What do YOU want?
- I want you to suck me off. - Alright.
Don't hit him in the balls.
Get him ready when he comes to. Write it up as an escape.
- Is this Dzerzhinskoe Station? - Yes.
This is Regional Deputy Military Commissar Colonel Sukhina.
Give me the station chief.
Captain Zhurov on the phone.
Listen, Captain, you've got a new cemetery in your district.
We have to bury a hero from Afghanistan.
The military board will pay all expenses.
Help out, please. Captain, just listen.
Sergeant Gorbunov. He's from the Nizhny Volok region.
He's got no relatives.
He's a real paratrooper, a hero.
Listen, Captain, I'll make it worth your while.
It's really tough here, there's no one about
and we've got another 6 Cargo 200s on the same plane.
Name?
- Colonel Sukhina. - Not you, the cargo.
Him-- Gorbunov, Sergeant.
When does it arrive?
Day after tomorrow,
August 26, here, at our airdrome.
We'll pay for your transport, Captain.
Alright, Colonel, call me tomorrow when you know the time.
Baby, don't offend your husband.
After all, he's your first.
Get lost!
Do you want a turnover?
With cabbage.
Well.
Hi.
Is this because of the girl?
She's my wife.
- You owe me. - I remember.
Don't touch Antonina.
Did Sunka die?
Put him here for now.
Do you have 348, Sergeant Gorbunov?
Yes, he's here
His medals.
Load it.
- But Alexei didn't kill him. - No, he didn't.
Why don't you tell them that other guy was there?
Alexei doesn't want me to.
But why? I don't understand!
Alexei and him have their own dealings, from back in prison.
He never told me about it.
There was a guy there in a red USSR T-shirt.
He was with a girl.
Where?
In Kalyaevo, when you left.
Where are they?
I don't know. They left too.
We have to find them. They'll be witnesses.
And will you be?
Antonina, I'm head of
the Scientific Atheism Department.
I'm a Party member.
If they find out about this, I'll get in trouble.
I'll get reprimanded, or maybe fired. And I've got a family.
And the semester's starting. I really can't.
But if you need anything, then I'll...
Alexei said,
"The sooner the Lord takes us,
the less chance we have to sin."
Darky!
Alright, get going. Register for a place at the cemetery.
Your fiancé's arrived.
Mom, she didn't like him,
I really wanted her to.
She loves the paratrooper.
A pronouncement of guilt of Article 102
of the Criminal Code:
For the premeditated murder of Suan Van Hei,
a citizen of the Republic of Vietnam...
with the aim of concealing another offence.
Under Article 23, the defendant is sentenced...
to the maximum punishment of execution.
All of his property will be confiscated.
At this time, Alexei Nikolaevich Belov
shall remain in custody.
The payment of 220 rubles for expert witnesses...
will be charged and levied from the guilty party to the State.
Who's there?
Captain Zhurov from Police Station 14 in Leninsk.
I've come to see Comrade Naboev,
I called yesterday.
Come in, Comrade Zhurov.
We found Kolya Gorbunov's letters to Angelica,
but there was nothing about Valera.
I told you, we have reason to believe that
Gorbunov and some Valera,
who was with her at the disco, are friends.
We believe it was Valera that left with your daughter.
So we'd like to study the letters. We'll return them.
Of course, Comrade Captain. Anya, bring them.
Yes, yes.
Will you find her?
Definitely.
Perhaps you'll come in for some tea?
Thank you, but it's late, and I have to get back to Leninsk.
And tomorrow's Monday.
There.
- Are you going to work tomorrow? - No.
I'll go to Gorenburg tomorrow, get a doctor's note.
What happened, Artyom? You've totally changed after Leninsk.
Lena, everything's alright.
What happened there, in Leninsk?
You already asked!
You met a woman?
Folks, I'm off.
Slava! Don't stay out late.
You have to go to university early tomorrow.
Who am I meeting?
How do we know? They order, we take you.
Soon everything will change.
Yes.
Dear Lica, I'm writing my
4th letter since training
but I still haven't heard from you.
Maybe it's that we're on the move, and mail has to catch up.
The day after tomorrow they'll transfer us to near Kandagar.
I really miss you, and there's still a year to go.
Yesterday we did a mop-up, and the Afghans killed 2 of ours.
By some miracle Grisha and I survived
but the corporal got wounded in the ass.
The guys laughed, but I felt sorry for him.
He's a good man, he's saved a lot of guys.
I hope you'll wait for me.
Say hi to everyone.
I sent my last letter from Kabul
but the Afghans blew up the transporter.
Maybe my letter was on it.
Write to me.
I really miss your letters, but mostly you.
Kisses, your Kolya.
-Who do you want? -Is Captain Zhurov home?
He's in there with his wife.
We've got lots of flies.
Miss, let me go, please!
Excuse me, where can I find the priest?
Father Vasily will come for evening service.
When is the evening service?
In an hour. What did you want?
I want to know how I can have the christening ceremony.
It's not a ceremony, it's a sacrament.
Sit down there. Pray, and wait.
- What's your name? - Slava!
- Have we met before? - No!
I'm Valera! I've seen you somewhere!
It happens!
I love your T-shirt!
Listen, let's have a drink after the concert! My treat.
Sure!
It's a good time right now to make a lot of bread.
I go to the Nenets, and trade a case of booze for ten deer pelts.
And I've got a guy here who pays heaps for them.
If we hook up, Slava, we can do 2 or 3 times more.
I'm not from round here.
I need a partner who's registered in Leningrad.
I get it!
The events depicted occurred
in late 1984.