As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me

As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me is a 2001 film about German World War II prisoner of war Clemens Forell's escape from a Siberian Gulag in the Soviet Union back to Germany. It is based on the book of the same name written by Bavarian novelist . The book is in turn based on the story of Cornelius Rost who used the alias "Clemens Forell" to avoid retribution from the KGB. A previous television adaptation was produced in 1959. Plot Clemens Forell is a German Wehrmacht soldier who was captured by the Soviets in 1945. Forell is sentenced to 25 years hard labour for "crimes against the partisans" and sent as part of a large group of prisoners to a Gulag labour camp in the Siberian region of the Soviet Union. After a huge cross-continent railway journey on starvation rations, and a long-cross-country trek by foot into the bleak wilderness, they arrive at the gulag. This is run by a cruel commander, Lieutenant Kamenev. After one unsuccessful attempt, Forell ultimately does escape with the aid of the camp doctor, Dr. Stauffer. Stauffer had planned to escape himself, but is terminally ill with cancer, so he gives Forell warm clothes and a loaded pistol, and explains where he has hidden supplies for a long journey. Forell promises to visit the doctor's wife in Magdeburg and tell her that he is already dead. Forell heads north to avoid the guards, who would expect him to go west. When the supplies given to him by Dr. Stauffer run out, he kills a seal for food. Over the winter, he wanders across northern Siberia, until he meets Anastas and Semyon, two gold prospectors. Although initially suspicious of them, Forell eventually joins them. After Semyon falls in a river and Forell rescues him, Semyon kills Anastas when he suspects him of stealing his gold. Semyon and Forell then continue their journey. When Semyon can no longer continue, Forell offers to carry his pack for him, but a suspicious Semyon throws him down a slope, thinking he too will try to steal his gold. Beset by wolves, Forell is rescued by nomadic Chukchi herders, one of whom, named Irina, falls in love with him.