COMMENTThe Russian Army was once one of the greatest and most powerful armies in the world. Now it suffers from a lack of funding so that it struggles to feed and clothe itself. However they still operate conscription and it is compulsory for young Russian men to do their time. They try to run away and dodge the draft because they have heard the stories about what to expect when they get to camp: beatings from the more experienced soldiers, bad food and freezing conditions. A hierarchical and sadistic system operates there. In this observational documentary the plight of the soldiers is portrayed as comic and yet tragic.
