Povinnost

“Between the Barents Sea and the White Sea, a warship sails through the Arctic’s lasting night. On-board, a crew of young recruits, a 30-year-old captain and several officers: a world, Russia, Europe, ours, survives between sea and sky, an ultimate account of a past and its spirituality. The ship is old and rusty, the engines have seen better days, and the toilets are barely decent. The young soldiers on board seem like children, huddled together for mealtimes, sleeping, exercising, getting a makeshift medical check-up. Laid back when they get the chance, which is not often as the captain keeps them more than busy so that their innocent enthusiasm remain undampened by stifling boredom. In his log, he notes down his observations and inner thoughts: at the age of thirty, he finds himself living a meaningless existence, reading classics and having the choice to either die or carry on, like his ship…” (N. Garrel)