Dauria 1972

Village life under Ataman

In the Siberian Cossack province of Dauria, the village life is guided by a strong Ataman and strict traditional codes. The people live by ritual, honor, and clan loyalty, while young Roman Ulybin feels the weight of a rigid hierarchy. His father Severian's contempt for his brother Vasili destabilizes his own standing in the community and heightens his sense of isolation.

The matchmaking and the wedding contrast

Roman asks his father to send a Matchmaker to pursue Dashutka, but Severian lacks the funds for the ritual. Meanwhile, a wealthy crook hires the same Matchmaker and the crook's son enjoys a lavish wedding with singing, dancing, and drinking. The contrast foreshadows class tensions that will ripple through the coming upheaval.

Departure to the Red Revolution

Frustrated by family obstacles, Roman leaves his father's home to follow his uncle Vasili into the Red revolutionary movement. He steps into the chaotic clash of loyalties that will define his fate. The journey marks a turning point from tribal life to political struggle.

Bank mission begins

During the civil war, Vasili orders Roman to seize the treasures of the Bank of Russia in Chita. He enters the city amid war-time turmoil, aware that the mission could determine the fates of many. The stakes are high, fueling tension with both his allies and enemies.

Anarchist bank robbery

An anarchist gang led by Lavrov robs the bank to finance a rapid escape to Manchuria with the stolen gold. The heist unfolds amid gunfire and alarms, blurring lines between revolution, crime, and survival. Roman finds himself in the thick of a chaotic collapse of order.

Injury and escape to the taiga

Roman fights the anarchists for the gold inside the bank and is badly injured in the process. He escapes with a small group, fleeing into the taiga where the wilderness provides a fragile refuge. The harsh landscape becomes his new battleground.

White Army attack

A detachment of the White Army assaults the hidden base in the woods, inflicting fear and chaos on Roman and his companions. They scramble to defend their position as the tide of war shifts against the Reds. The confrontation accelerates the collapse of their fragile refuge.

Death sentence and river escape

Roman and his men are captured by anti-communist Cossacks and sentenced to death by firing squad. He miraculously escapes by leaping into a small river before the shot is fired. The escape tastes of luck and determination in a brutal war-torn landscape.

Dashutka tends the wounded

After his escape, Roman finds Dashutka at her farmhouse where she cares for him as he heals. The reunion rekindles his longing and grounds him in a personal stake amid the broader upheaval. Their renewed bond contrasts with the violence of the civil war around them.

Revelation of Severian's fate

Roman visits his parents and learns that Severian was forced into service in the anti-communist White Army. The revelation hardens his resolve and deepens the personal cost of the conflict. Family ties and loyalties are tested to their breaking points.

Ataman's arrest attempt

While resting at his parents' home, the anti-communist Ataman tries to arrest Roman. Severian manages to hide his son and help him escape, exposing the dangerous crosswinds of loyalty in this war-torn region. The family becomes a refuge amid the cycles of pursuit.

Rejoining the Reds

Roman reunites with Vasili and the Red revolutionaries, recommitting to the cause amid mounting violence. The internal conflicts within his family mirror the larger struggle between supporters and opponents of the revolution. The narrative moves back toward organized political action.

White Army brutality in the village

A detachment of the White Army arrives to brutalize and humiliate those not loyal to the Tsar, symbolizing the cruelty of wartime occupation. The village endures torture and fear as the attackers assert dominance. This scene foreshadows the tragedy to come within the community.