chapter 1
Autumn 1998. KRASNODAR.
On a rainy morning, ARISTARKH (20) and SNEZHANA (20) cross an empty secondary road with tram tracks on a green light. Suddenly, a car from the adjacent alley speeds out, hits them, and drives off. The impact is from the side of ARISTARKH. He falls on Snezhana in the momentum. SNEZHANA falls on the asphalt and hits her temple on the tram rail. She loses consciousness. Through the fog, ARISTARKH sees the car's license plate and a woman behind the wheel who briefly stops to ensure the successful payback and quickly drives away. ARISTARKH looks at the bleeding Snezhana lying next to him and also loses consciousness.
END OF FLASHFORWARD
The camera shows the facade of the music school in the city of Petropavlovsk, North Kazakhstan region.
Summer 1995. Three years earlier
Students of the brass department, trombonist ARISTARKH, trumpeter FRITZ, clarinetist WINT and Percussionist (drums) BALL are lying hungry in their room on the fourth male floor on their beds. FRITZ is lying down with his shoes on.
ARISTARKH
Guys, we have to wait another week for the final exam of the year in our specialty. Maybe we should do something cool?
WINT
Hey, ARISTARKH, they've already settled some female applicants on the third floor. They put the male applicants in the orchestra hall. They probably have money. FRITZ, go and shake them down for some cash.
FRITZ
(Laughing)
You're kidding, WINT? Are you trying to avoid it? Get off your ass and go yourself or let's all go together.
BALL
(Tenderly)
How about I go? I'll be quick.
ARISTARKH gets up from the bed.
ARISTARKH
No BALL, you don't have the guts to shake them down for cash. You better go get some beer later, and the three of us will go to the applicants now. Maybe something will work out.
ARISTARKH walks to the door and exits. WINT and FRITZ stand up and follow ARISTARKH.
The camera shows the building of Kuban State University.
SNEZHANA sits in her room at the easel and paints a landscape with colors. Her mother enters the room.
SNEZHANA’S MOTHER
(Surprised)
You're spouting this nonsense again?
(CONTINUED)
SNEZHANA’S MOTHER (continuing)
(Calm down)
Listen, sweetheart, you can do this as a hobby, but your duty is to continue our family business. Your late father wanted this, so you must first finish university.
SNEZHANA
Don't worry, Mom, Dad won't be disappointed for sure, if there is an afterlife at all. Besides, I have to get into the university on my own. If not, then I'll go to a private university.
In the orchestra hall, there are several folded beds ready and one unfolded. In the middle sits a young man from the village named KOLYA. Suddenly, the door opens and ARISTARKH, WINT, FRITZ enter.
FRITZ
(Impudently and arrogantly)
Salam aleikum, bro, how's it hanging?
KOLYA is slightly scared, but trying to appear confident. WINT reaches out his hand for a handshake.
WINT
WINT.
KOLYA
(With fear)
Nice to meet you, Nikolai.
ARISTARKH sits on the bed next to KOLYA. He puts his hand on KOLYA's shoulder, as an older friend would. KOLYA looks at ARISTARKH with scared anticipation, then looks at FRITZ and WINT in turn. WINT sits on the other side of KOLYA on the bed, while FRITZ grabs a chair and places it with the back facing the bed. He sits down and folds his hands on the back of the chair, like a schoolboy at a desk.
ARISTARKH
(Like a child)
You know, KOLYA, you will succeed. I can see it in your eager eyes. But for further education, and in general, studying well is not enough. You need to be friends with us so that the Kazakhs won't mess with you. They respect us because we stick together.
FRITZ
You know who the Kazakhs are?
KOLYA nods hesitantly.
