Original subtitles

- Are you flying to Moscow? - No.

I could give you a ride!

We're flying West, via Blagoveshchensk, Irkutsk, and Novosibirsk.

The view from the cockpit is breathtaking.

I've been there. Tried entering Moscow State University.

- Did you succeed? - No.

Now I'm flying to Blagoveshchensk.

My name is Innokenty, by the way. It means 'Innocent', in Latin.

- And yours? - Larisa.

This means Seagull in Greek. A good name for a pilot's girlfriend.

Did you know that in ancient Greece to honour the nymph Larisa

they built a whole city on the Pineios river?

Of course, I dreamed as a little girl

that a pilot would come to me or a sea captain

and ask me to follow him to the ends of the Earth,

and then name a city, or an island, in my honour.

But, alas... Childhood is gone, and so are the myths.

And there's my steersman, buying caviar for me again,

because he thinks that I'm hungry.

Our flight is delayed.

Would you like me to introduce you?

Hello, Mikhalych. How was your night?

Quiet. As usual. Good morning.

- Coffee? - No, thank you.

And I wouldn't mind a cup of strong coffee.

My night was great!

Did 811 fly out to Blagoveshchensk?

No, 811 is delayed in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

Weather conditions. See the papers on the desk.

Why always talk about work? Can't a man drink his coffee in peace?

So? Shall I declare our trip

officially finished?

Wait. We’re not home yet.

You can submit your complaints now.

It's so tight. My finger is stiff.

Some newlywed you are!

What does it feel like?

Ah... So tight. Like that thing on the coffee lid.

We got some instant coffee at the base. A-ha!

Instant coffee, instantly gone.

Phew! This is pure luck! The plane waited just for me!

The taxi driver said: "It's probably already in Blagoveshchensk!"

And I told him - no, drive on: what if it's delayed?

So-o-o...

When you fly Buryatia – Chegdomyn

you will cross paths with military airplanes

flying out from the Zavitinsk airfield.

Then I'll catch a connecting flight. By night. To Moscow.

My wife and son are at home.

Haven't seen them in a month.

You can relax now, comrade. You made it!

We waited for 4 hours. You should have hurried!

I told you, the turbine wouldn't start!

At altitudes of 4 200 – 4 500 meters

at 9.00 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Moscow time.

Have you told them that 811 was delayed?

- Mikhalych?! - He has already left.

Take your seat, please.

- Mother... - Yes?

When you flew for the first time, were you also scared?

Of course I was scared.

Take your teddy bear. It won't be scary for you together.

You can move along. I’m helping an old lady here.

- Thank you, son. - Any time.

Take your seats.

Larisa, our seats are there...

Let's sit here... Too much noise over there.

Ah!

Dear passengers, this is your captain speaking...

Comrades, fasten your seatbelts please.

As we will meet the headwind, turbulence is possible.

- Fasten your seatbelt. - I don't want to.

I can't sleep like this.

Alright. Then I will hold you.

- But you'll hold me tight. - Very tight.

- There you are... - Thank you.

Arkhara, region 46 653, good afternoon.

I'm in your zone at 5 400.

46 653 proceed to 5 400, Arkhara region.

46 653, I stay at 5 400.

46 653, I confirm your place.

Offset 225 km with an azimuth of 42°. Fly to 5400.

Report crossing air route Khabarovsk - Moscow.

Arkhara region, 46 653 turbulence at 5 400.

Allow descent to 5 100.

46 653, your distance is 162 km with an azimuth of 37°.

Descent to 5 100.

Calm down, comrades, everything is OK.

Hold onto me!

Hold on tight!

ALONE

Flight 12133 from Moscow has landed.

Larisa!

Vladimir! What a surprise! I thought you had forgotten me.

All this year I thought only of you.

- Is this your car? - Yes, mine.

Did you deal in smuggling while I was gone?

Ah, you guessed it! Of course not. It's my mother's gift.

I see.

How's Moscow?

It doesn't matter. Don't ask.

I'm glad you're back.

I don't want to go home.

Let's go to our place!

- Ouch... - Watch your head...

Yes... I remember...

So, did you bring girls here while I was away?

Be honest!

And you told them about Chinese music?

By the way, China

announced a couple of days ago they would build a city called Heihe

there, over the river.

What do we care? We aren't allowed to go there anyway.

We aren't. But we can look from here.

Will you go buy me some cigarettes?

"Flight attendant's delight"?

- You remember what I like! - I do.

- Someone's birthday party? - A date.

You're spending a lot! Are you getting married or what?

Curiosity... killed a cat!

What are you doing? What's this? Larisa!

Vladimir, I failed pathetically.

Oh, come on. Stop this now.

You're a fighter or what?

Larisa, listen to me!

Remember how we went hiking with our friends?

- Do you remember? - Yes, yes of course.

Do you remember how scared everyone was to cross the swamp?

You were the only one to follow me. Remember?

Larisa...

Forgive me for not having come with you.

Together, we would have made it.

There, Raisa. Like I promised you – safe and sound.

Why did you take so long? We were worried.

- Mom, the flight... - Flat tire.

It's all clear. They kissed!

Oh...

I'm off.

Larisa, my girl, you shouldn't worry.

Next month our pedagogical university holds entrance exams.

- Mom... - What?

Perhaps this whole idea with Moscow was a mistake?

Perhaps.

Well, everyone makes mistakes. It's not the end of the world.

Sometimes it's for the better.

My first marriage to your father was a mistake.

But thanks to this mistake I have you.

And then I met Ivan.

And then I had Dmitriy, your little brother.

And now I'm the happiest person in the world.

So we are the results of your mistakes?

And what did you think?

Nothing in this life happens without a reason.

Mom, where's my belt?

What kind of man are you! Can't find your belt!

You're getting married soon.

How are you going to marry without a belt?

You know what? I have something to say.

Look at yourself and look at her. Stand next to her and compare.

No. Don't look away. It's genetics.

You're a handsome boy. Stately and all that. And she...

These things, you know... You can't ignore them.

Just look. She's so small and pale.

- Mom! - Mom, what?!

Your Mom is tall, stately and decorative.

All women in our family are this way.

Look at us all. Look at me, look at my sister, your aunt Rimma.

- All gorgeous. - Mom! I've had enough of this.

I've got plans for you. Great plans.

Guess where you're going for student practice?

First Cardiological hospital! I arranged it all.

Look. Stop making decisions for me. And yes, I'm getting married.

- Very well. Do as you wish... - Galya!

- You know... Oh, what's wrong? - Oh!

- I don't know... Oh... - Sit down. Let him do what he wants.

- Of course, Victor. - He...

If you always did what you wanted,

we would still be selling eggplants by the train station.

- Spare your nerves. - Do what he wants...

Mom! I have a right to decide. It's my life. It's my decision.

Very well, take your decisions,

but without my car and my money.

Thank you very much.

And, finally,

the most important thing in Plato's description of senses

is the teaching of causality.

- Thus, we have... - Look, your boyfriend is here.

2 can emerge by way of adding one whole being to another,

or dividing a whole being in 2...

MARRY ME!

YES - NO

Wait, Vladimir.

Larisa, will you give me a son?

Vladimir, what are you talking about? We aren't married yet!

We will be married.

What about our studies? How will we manage?

Where will we live?

We will live in the flat

that I inherited from my Grandmother.

We will study during the daytime. I will work night shifts.

It won't be easy at first. But then...

I don't want to use Mother's money or her car.

So you'll have no money and no car?

Why didn't you tell me at once?

Ha, ha! I got you tricked!

You should have seen your face just now!

Let's go, Van Gogh.

Vladimir!

- More for me. - You always want more.

Great job. You made this place so comfortable!

- Yes... - It's all Vladimir.

He runs the house, works and studies.

Larisa and I have done it all together.

- Let's drink to this, then! - Well done!

He's reaching too, look at him!

Vladimir, how's your Mom?

I don't know. We aren't in touch.

Vladimir, this won't do!

Of course! She's concerned about you.

She called us and asked how you were.

Raisa, she has our address.

By the way, I'm taking Dmitriy to the Crimea in August.

And I thought... You've been having some money problems these days.

We don't have money problems. We have enough money. Thank you.

Well, we just wanted to buy you a trip.

You have been putting off your honeymoon...

We have already planned it.

- Really? - After student practice,

we're flying to Komsomolsk-on-Amur...

For wild camping...

An amazing place for a honeymoon.

To feed mosquitoes in the taiga!

- Dad... - Do what you like.

Thank you. I'm full.

Look...

She looks a lot like you! Let’s go see it.

MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN

This is fiction. Such things don't happen in real life.

I don't know. It says on the poster, "Based on real events."

That's how they fill their seats. It's for naive people like you.

- I'm choosing the movie next time! - Shsh!

Sorry.

And I like it.

I'm going to the ladies' room.

I will be waiting in the cafe across the street.

- I'll find it - Do you promise... Julianna?

I promise.

Anyone?

Comrades!

Yes, comrade general! Yes sir!

Trial runs in Irkutsk have gone well. Going home tomorrow.

Not so hasty. I have a task for you.

A weather probing airplane collided with a passenger plane.

A ballistic missile launch was disrupted.

We need to find a culprit. As soon as possible.

Or all of our shoulder straps will fly.

I see. I will sort it out.

Fly to Zavitinsk at once and deal with it personally.

Will do.

Vladimir!

Are you alive?

Anyone alive here?!

Hello?

- Good afternoon! - Greetings.

Greetings, comrades.

First, present the cases

of operational checks of the flight crew.

Arrange personal meetings for me with everyone involved.

The task is simple: identify the perpetrators.

After midnight, send officers to cut off the intercity connection.

- Cut off? - Yes.

Climb onto the pole and cut the wires.

- Have you prepared the lists? - Yes.

These are our men. These are the civilians.

- I need a car and an all-areas pass. - I'll give you my pass and my driver.

I don't need this. I'll drive myself.

ZAVITINSK

Bring a tractor to the platform, some sort of loader.

Pile up some boards, bags of cement.

We have a wagon with sand.

- Then make a mountain of sand here. - Understood...

- Don't break up the platform. - Understood.

Report the accident.

Have you had aphthous fever in the area?

Not for a while, luckily.

- Announce an epidemic. - It's not within my competence.

Now it is.

Send urgent telegrams to the relatives of the deceased before midnight.

Here's the list.

- Before midnight? - Brief telegrams.

A road accident.

Do not discuss this with anyone.

- But I... - Get to work.

Where will the operational headquarters be?

2 adjacent rooms. On the ground floor.

That's fine. I'm not going to stay here forever.

Ground floor will do. Gather everyone.

When the chairman comes, I will report to him,

and he will bring everyone.

I am your chairman now, and also the General Secretary

Is this clear? Gather everyone who is not in the forest.

- The taiga. - Very well. The taiga. Go.

Comrade Knyazev, good evening.

Comrade General, thank you for coming.

Follow me.

Wreckage is scattered over 7 kilometers.

Will you provide a helicopter with an experienced crew?

I'll give you mine.

Well, not yours, but the state's.

- And more fuel. - We'll send it in the morning.

There will be anyone fuel.

Set up checkpoints on the roads to the city.

Here. Aphthous fever epidemic. Make copies.

- Will do. - Keep in touch by radio.

Bring all the flying machines back today before midnight.

- Bad weather promised tomorrow. - It's understood.

Who are you?

Deputy Director of Zavitinsk secondary school #2.

- And where is the director? - In the taiga. I didn't go, I was sick.

You told me to bring everyone.

Go home and get better.

Thank you.

Should I go too?

Lyuba!

Follow me, comrades.

Today we have a really interesting program.

We're walking by one of the beautiful alleys

of the Nikitsky Garden.

Immediately after Yalta was liberated in April 1944,

restoration works began.

The director of the garden, Anatoly Koverga

accomplished a real feat.

He drove thousands of kilometers through Poland and Germany.

And near Berlin he found the lost herbarium.

I beg your pardon. Uh... Who is Raisa Kugai?

- Me! - An urgent telegram for you.

Not only did Anatoly Koverga find this herbarium near Berlin,

he also managed to retrieve it...

And now...

I repeat.

While I'm in the camp fly around the crash site.

Yes.

Mark the spots with debris on the map.

But don't land. It's an order.

Comrade Knyazev, will you be with us long?

You have a talkative flight mechanic.

The border with China isn't far.

I'm here!

Guys, I think I've just seen something.

I think it's a young woman.

That's strange. Why would a young woman be there?

Maybe she's the cook from the camp.

What if she's a survivor?

Perhaps we should check, comrade Knyazev.

They flew at 5 000 meters.

We aren't looking for survivors.

I found the pilot's hat!

And the pilot...

What is it, son? They're dead. Don't be scared.

- He can't do anything to you. - I'm sick...

- What? Sick? - Yes, sick...

Go there. Quickly. Drink some alcohol with salt.

Only a little. Go, go. This should help.

- Good evening, Comrade Knyazev. - Good evening.

- How was your flight? - We made it.

Will you stay?

Come, I will show you how we work.

That’s why I’m here.

Ugh...

So, Comrades, let me repeat.

We will fortify the chains tomorrow,

change the squares for the rescue groups

and do the same again.

And gradually expand the search square.

The border guards will give us guides who know the area.

Yes sir.

Don't touch anything that belongs to the military.

Leave a man by each piece of the debris,

send a liaison to the chief lieutenant, the chief lieutenant - to me. At once.

All of this must be kept secret.

This is your main task.

And my main task is to find the dead and bury them with dignity.

- Perhaps, let's go back and check? - Did you hear what he said?

The devil only knows what's going on in his head.

Well. You will have a wife and children, you will understand.

Sorry.

I have a telegram.

This is official. It's not in my competence.

You have to see the airport attendant. Wait in the line.

But the telegram explains everything. Something happened to my daughter.

It's very important.

Go right, then turn.

A CAR ACCIDENT. YOUR DAUGHTER.

Darling, it doesn't say anywhere here that she has died...

From the rector, yes. A car accident.

- But my daughter was flying. - Mom, do planes fall?

In our country, they don't. You have nothing to worry about.

I'm giving you 2 tickets.

For the day after tomorrow. Via Moscow.

- For the day after tomorrow? - Vacationers are going home.

Take what's available.

No one will come for us.

We would have made it together. I will hold you.

We'll fly directly to the west

through Blagoveshchensk, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk.

We flew directly to the west...

We will meet the headwind.

You fell earlier...

The East...

Where's the East?

So, dear TV viewers and now I will show you

how to make a compass using very simple tools.

You will need a needle.

Put a lead into the water

and rub the needle at your sweater.

Okay... Come on...

Magnetize it really well

and put it on the leaf.

Voila! Its tip points sharp North.

Come on.

Vladimir is a genius.

Well, comrades. The situation is very difficult.

We reported to the military that 811 was at 5 400.

I have applications where it's clearly written,

that your altitudes were 4 200 – 4 500.

You weren't monitoring military aircraft on the radar.

We were sure that they were at different altitudes.

Zavitinsk flight control didn't report a change of altitude.

According to our instructions,

it's not our duty to monitor military aircraft.

Don't you know that?

According to my instructions, I have to name the culprits.

Don't you know that?

Hold onto me!

Let’s go!

It was a good machine.

Absolutely reliable. Not like people, right?

It was scattered over 7 kilometers around.

And the Tupolev hit on the spot.

Only 3 of our guys have been found. We will continue searching tomorrow.

This is the chief of the Tupolev-16 group.

What happened there?

I saw a lightning flash on the screen.

I informed our ground control. We began to ascend.

We made it.

But my comrades didn't.

I don’t know how it happened.

Forgive me.

Why was the maneuver not reported to the civil sector?

Comrade Knyazev,

according to the instructions they only report to us.

There's something off with the instructions.

Attention to persons flying to Blagoveshchensk.

Your flight is delayed indefinitely due to weather conditions.

I also have a connecting flight, by night. To Moscow.

I have my wife and son at home. Haven't seen them for a month.

What are you drawing there all the time?

It's a secret. I will show you later.

Vladimir, it's getting cold.

I'll bring more firewood.

- Don't look. Promise? - Alright.

I'll be right back...

Vladimir!

Vladimir!

Vladimir!

Larisa? Are you sleeping?

Larisa, it's alright.

- You're crazy. - Larisa, you were worried?

- What? - I wasn't worried!

I'm not your governess!

My man must know how to deal with hardships.

So you don't care that wolves could eat me there?

Vladimir, you're wet! Wolves could eat me...

Let me go! It's cold!

So you're cold? You think I felt warm there in the forest?

- I'll show you now! - Let me go!

- You're cold, of course. - Vladimir!

Vladimir, stop!

Vladimir...

When we're back, we'll have a baby.

Would you like this?

Okay, bye...

Awful weather, eh?

Did you collect all you wanted?

Yes, we collected what we needed.

And the culprits, are they already?

This is more complex... Everyone

has made a mistake here. It's unclear whose error was greater.

It's always easier to find an error than the truth.

It's not me. Goethe wrote this.

Yes...

Just wait for me. Please.

You wouldn't hesitate a moment.

- Hi Dad. - Hello son.

Go and take your luggage to the room.

So, what happened? What happened?

- Something with the plane. - Where?

Near Zavitinsk.

My friend Ivanych is the head of the district.

But I can't get a hold of him on the phone.

- Let's drive there. - Raisa, the city is closed.

- They won't let us through. - Let's go anyway.

You need to rest. For a couple hours at least.

- Yes. You need rest. - No. We must go.

- We will go after you rest. - We must go now!

I must know what happened to my daughter.

You don't have a right to close off a common road.

Let me pass.

I told you, it's an aphthous fever epidemic. No one can pass.

- Hello Galya. - No one can pass,

and they explain nothing.

We need to see the Head of the District.

He knows me, we were college mates.

Even if you were Brezhnev's college mate. I have an order.

Call him. Let him issue a pass for you.

- Telephone connection is down. - Wait until it resumes work.

Goodness me...

What will we do?

We must get him on the phone.

- Let's go... - Yes, let's go.

Galya!

- Galya! - Stop!

Are you crazy? Galya!

Dmitriy, I couldn't get you on the phone.

Detain them!

Our daughter was on board.

Hello, Ivan.

What's this? Let them go. They need to see me.

- They almost hit us, Dmitriy. - Almost, but not quite.

I will sort this out. You may go back to your post.

You may go as well.

What happened to the airplane?

I am not allowed to speak about this.

- It's forbidden. - I know it's forbidden.

Dmitriy, just be human.

Our children were on that plane.

If you like, we will sign all those non-disclosure papers?

Stop! You can't come in here!

Comrade Knyazev,

may I talk to you in person for a couple of minutes?

- What are the civilians doing here? - Under my responsibility.

They will sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Comrade general...

Well.

I'm listening.

I'm asking for your permission to tell...

- Tell what? - The truth.

So you know the truth?

Stop tormenting us.

My son was on that plane. He's 19 years old.

Galya... Our children were returning from their honeymoon.

What happened to the aircraft?

It fell.

Then show me my son's body.

The Savitskys, do I

- understand correctly? - Yes...

Their bodies haven't been found yet.

So they... They can still be alive?

I'm afraid this isn't impossible. The plane fell from a 5-km height.

How do you know?

Perhaps, a miracle happened. Maybe my son is still alive!

He needs help right now and you cannot find them.

Let me go there. I'll find my son myself.

I understand you, but continuing the search makes no sense.

In 3 days we have not found a single survivor.

You didn't look well enough! Let me go there! I will find my child!

- Galya... - Let me go there!

- Galya... - Look. Well... Take it!

Take a good look at them, and remember their faces, please.

They were planning to build a house, to have children.

Vladimir wanted to become a doctor.

He will be a brilliant surgeon!

I understand that the chances are slim, but what if?

What if they are still alive,

and you're saying that the search is pointless?

Do you even...

- Listen, do you have children? - A son.

What if you were in our place?

And you were told that the search was pointless,

would you continue looking for your child?

I thought I could find you. What a fool!

Came all this way.

You would have found me.

You always knew what to do.

It’s freezing here.

Come on! Don’t fail me.

Come on! Please.

That’s it.

That’s it.

This guy Ivan was a college friend of mine.

He fell in love with Raisa at the time.

And she already had a little daughter named Larisa.

When you were flying over the crash site,

did you notice anything strange?

Not really.

Only the cook...

What cook?

She was near the camp, waving.

The flight mechanic saw her.

Comrade Knyazev, I know everyone in the camp.

There's no cook there.

Just wait for me.

Do you remember the place where you saw the girl?

Yes, Comrade Knyazev.

- We must fly there right now. - It won't be possible now.

- Why? - Well, because it will get dark soon.

Showers and high winds are forecasted.

- Semyon... - No way.

We need to check.

It's not about the instruction. It's human.

I have been searching for you so long.

My little war machine.

I've always admired your courage.

You are a real fighter

you are even stronger than me.

You just don't know it yourself.

Forgive me. It's my fault.

If only...

If only we could start again, I'd never...

Larisa...

I would never change a day with you

for a lifetime without you.

But I've done so little for you.

Did you find my backpack?

Have you seen my drawings? Larisa?

Yes. Sorry.

Well.

Ruined the surprise.

I wanted to surprise you so much.

Then... Let me sleep and forget.

And you will show me everything tomorrow,

as if I hadn't seen anything.

Alright.

Why didn't you descend when you saw her?

We had an order not to descend.

Orders aren't always correct, right?

They saw her down there!

- Descend! - Okay.

I love you.

I'm here!

Hey! Anyone there?

Anyone alive?!

I'm here!

Just hold on.

Easy, easy.

My dear girl.

Do you know that you were close to the Chinese border?

We, the Soviet people, can't go to China.

We won't tell anyone.

We are here!

This was, of course, the main question.

Why? Why did it happen to me? And it remained unanswered.

But it kept ringing in my head.

That is... Not for months - for years.

That's how it was. After what had happened.

And no answer either.

Vladimir and I were going to go to the Crimea

on a package tour, but we didn’t,

because we got married,

thus I joined a different family.

I could get a tour discount from the trade union

only as a member of my parents’ family,

who I was not anymore.

And without a discount getting from Vladivostok to Crimea

was too expensive.

We were just students after all...

It’s not like we had money.

So my mom and Dmitriy went to Crimea,

and we went to Vladivostok

to see my relatives there, then his relatives

in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

Vladimir went to get the tickets

without me.

He asked me about the date, I suggested the 25th of August.

He came back and said we’re going on the 24th.

I got upset, even though it was just one day.

They had no tickets for the 25th, so...

He’s been courting me for six months. I don’t know why.

It was how these things were done then.

All romantic... I didn’t think about it too much.

We got married very early.

A person can have premonitions. I don't know, well...

This was his idea for us to get married.

He wanted children very much. And I kept telling him - no.

I need to study. Yes. That's how it was.

And then, before we flew back,

I somehow told him: okay, you have convinced me.

When we get back, we'll have a baby.

Yes... And he started crying. He sobbed.

Like all men sob.

Out loud. So that's how it was.

And I told him - hush, hush. Why are you crying?

We were in different student brigades.

He was in the north of our region, and I, in the south.

We wrote letters to each other.

He missed me so much, yes.

In all of his letters he wrote how bad he had it without me.

And in one of his letters he tells me –

I'd give half my lifetime only to see you.

Then he says – another half of my lifetime, too.

And then he'd borrow more days from God

only to be with me.

So... He made all those plans for our life ahead, together...

So it happens that plans don't always work out.

I think Vladimir's last wish was for me to survive.

I saw him in a dream only once.

A month after it happened.

I missed him so bad.

In my dream he was very real. So.

I asked him "where are you?"

There was that little house... In a forest or something.

And he told me "I'm here now."

I asked him: Why don't you come back?

And he told me: I can't.

I was filled with joy from seeing him in my dream.

I even jumped up from my bed

Happy that we were alive.

But this happened only once.

That’s it, I’m done telling you about love.