In 1920, an international treaty signed by 46 countries enabled free access to the Arctic archipelago of Spitsbergen for commercial and scientific activity. Today, only the Russians have maintained an active settlement called Grumant in this isolated territory. Ivan S. Tverdovskiy's documentary examines life in what is described as an “island of Communism”—this Russian enclave was established during the Soviet era and Lenin statues still remain, even though the old USSR is a distant memory. One would like to imagine that the Russians who work here in the mining operations are profiting from their grueling labor, but all purchases are deducted from workers' salaries (and there is relatively little to buy in any case). The film attempts to show the emotional aspect of life in Grumant: the difficult separation of miners from their families, the toll of working in the Arctic cold (where it remains dark for most of the year), and the not always successful efforts to build a community among the Russian workers through amateur theater productions. Cinematically, Tverdovskiy faces a challenge—considering the visual monotony of Grumant surroundings—and the workers are not always articulate, let alone gregarious. Nonetheless, Grumant offers a unique view of a long forgotten segment of the Russian populace, people whose incredible perseverance deserves respect. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Grumant: Island of Communism
(2015) 54 min. DVD: $375. Grasshopper Film. PPR. Volume 32, Issue 1
Grumant: Island of Communism
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