Siberian Education

Siberian Education (known as Deadly Code in the United States;) is a 2013 Italian crime-drama film directed by Gabriele Salvatores. It is based on the allegedly autobiographic novel with the same name written by Nicolai Lilin, the pen name of Nikolai Verzhbitsky. The film was nominated to 11 David di Donatello awards, including Best Film and Best Director. Mauro Pagani won the Ciak d'oro for Best Score. The novel by Lilin has never been published in Russia and an investigation by a Russian journalist found that the story was a fabricated hoax by Lilin. Many of the actors, especially child actors, are Lithuanian. Winter scenes were also shot in Lithuania (instead of the actual Russia). All other scenes were shot in parts of Italy. The movie itself was filmed in English, with Italian subtitles. Plot Kolyma and Gagarin are two boys in an ethnically Siberian village in Transnistria being raised by Kolyma's grandfather Kuzja. Kuzja imposes a very strict education to the children, focusing on hatred for the Soviet officials such as bankers or the military, which are regarded as enemies. Following one of their robbery attempts against the Soviets, Gagarin is captured, tried and imprisoned. Seven years later Gagarin is freed, but he discovers that his world has completely changed and he does not know how to succeed in solving his problems. Gagarin finally discovers that the ideals of his people have collapsed in the drug trade, so he enters into this new system but he ends up in conflict with Kolyma. Cast John Malkovich as Grandfather Kuzja Arnas Fedaravicius as Kolyma Vilius Tumalavicius as Gagarin Peter Stormare as Ink Eleanor Tomlinson as Xenya Jonas Trukanas as Mel Erikas Zaremba as Vitalic James Tratas as Shorty