A young man named Nikolai Loshkarev, a student at a river college, is undergoing his first real-life experience—he finds a job he loves and sets off on his first voyage...
Direction
Shakhmaliyeva's documentary-trained eye for working-class authenticity.
Cinematography
Misty river landscapes that swallow characters whole.

Director
Ayan Shakhmaliyeva
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made during the Brezhnev stagnation, this TV movie sneakily questions whether hard work actually guarantees success—a dangerous whisper in 1977.
Director Ayan Shakhmaliyeva was one of few women directing Soviet television; she insisted on shooting real river workers rather than professional extras.
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