"Volodshik..." "Can I still call you that?" "I don't believe anyone knows Volodshik like I do." "Do you remember our dreams?" "." "Do you at least remember my joy   simply because you existed in this world?" "." "The very thought of you made even the most difficult days clear and bright." "I don't know, my friend,   how much you remember   and to what extent   you've been able to forget the time we had together." "The brief time we walked in the Summer Garden." "That was my life." "Welcome." "Welcome." "I've come all the way from Leningrad to visit you." "Volodshik." "You're my destiny." "If we get caught now, I'll live forever." "You were always afraid of being caught." "In Bodø, in Fauske and in Leningrad." " Now we're in Moscow." " And I'm just as afraid." "You're my hunger." "My problem is that I love fraidy cats." "Boo!" "." "They're coming to get you!" "How can I prove to you that I'm not afraid?" "." "By loving me, Volodshik!" "By being with me!" "I'm trying to remember exactly how everything was." "Your Excellencies." "Your Excellency " " Ambassador James Arlington." "Not exactly the Fourth of July, not at all." "But I think you'll find the aqua vitae will tickle your taste buds   and make you forgive our humble surroundings." "We are not rich." "But our hearts are big." "What nonsense, Ambassador." "The only thing that is big with Norwegians are their mouths!" "But you should not have gone to bed with the Americans." "They will suffocate you." "Better dead than red." "I'm sorry." "We've lived with Russia for hundreds of years in peaceful coexistence." "And we lived with our three main allies " " USA, Great Britan and the Soviet Union   during the Second World War." "The times have become colder and more difficult." "But we won't give up." "We want peace." "And we want to cooperate to achieve peace and friendship between our nations." "Our Constitution Day, 17th of May, is our Independence Day." "And that is an independence   that we will ward, regardless of any pressure." "Our tour has reached this beautiful place in the west of Norway." "It is first and foremost thanks to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs   that this has become possible." "I hope it will contribute to further strengthening the friendship   and understanding between the Norwegian and Soviet sister nations,   so the art that strengthens Revolution   can bloom." "The true art, the people's art." "How did you manage to get to Leningrad?" "." "The State Department needed a new interpreter." "I work for the border commission." "I thought I would never see you again." "Vladimir, Volodshik." "It's going to be short." "There's so little time." "But now I know you're alive and I can write to you." "I'm going to apply for a job at the embassy in Moscow." "I know that I'll get it." "And then we can meet again." "Vera, Vera, you're an angel." "But this is not Norway, this is Russia." "I ask you not to have any regrets." "I'll only regret one thing." "All the days I'm not with you and not in your country." "Now I know that you're alive." "Now I know where you are." "Now I can write to you." "Welcome Mr. Evanger!" "Comrade Thechevchenko." " Our paths cross again." " Yes." "Let it be clear, Gaspadin Evanger, Norway has nothing to fear." "And if you need our help again, we are prepared, as your good neighbor." "Norway has nothing to fear." "If you need help, we're prepared, as a good neighbor." "And the Soviet Union has nothing to fear from us either." "But the next time we see a conflict on the horizon,   we don't want to be caught napping like on April 9, 1940." "The border between our two countries stands firm." "Finland's treason and cooperation with the Germans   cost them access to the Arctic Sea." "The Finnish corridor was a brief episode." "We're closer now than before the war." "That is correct." "Let's finalize the negotiations regarding this border, in Moscow." "And feel free to bring Vera, she is a charming and excellent interpreter." "But enough about politics." "Let's drink to our friendship." "I know people who admire you and your knowledge." "These are people who have a lot more resources than me." "Are you trying to bribe me?" "." "To them a million dollars is pocket change." "For the right man." "It's pocket change for me too." "I wanted to wait   until my heart had slowed down." "But I couldn't wait." "My heart is stubborn." "My friend," " I've come to understand the meaning of the words "I love you mortally"." "I could die of happiness." "Do you know why this is called The Big House?" "." "Volodshik!" "You're an intelligent man, Vladimir." "Soldier, engineer, artist." "The motherland has treated you well, even though you let yourself get captured." " I've told you everything, many times!" " It doesn't make sense." "I haven't hidden anything!" "You took part in the battle at Uman in the summer of 1941..." " Do you know how many died there?" "." " No." "More than 90, 000." "While you got away!" "The other prisoners were left to rot in Poland." " But you got away." " Yes." "You were sent with a false identity   as a factory worker to Bodø." "In northern Norway." "Incredible!" "You were practically a free man." "There you fell ill and were treated by a Norwegian nurse." "And how many of you managed to escape to Sweden?" "." "Three out of a thousand!" "Once again you got away." "It just doesn't make sense." "How is it that you always got away?" "." "It doesn't make sense to us, Volodshik." "Everything that happened is in the report!" "And then, three years later, by coincidence   the woman that helped you escape shows up in Moscow." "She is no longer a nurse." "No, now she's a secretary at an embassy   that serves the imperialistic USA!" "She writes." "She expresses her love." "She wants to meet you." "Do you think we are fools?" "." "Don't you think we know this game?" "." "It's not a game." "I want you to write down everything from the beginning." "Who recruited you." "What they are paying you." "When you were recruited." " And what kind of code you are using." " I was never recruited." "This is not only a big house, Volodshik." "Below us there is also a big basement." "Those who work there are not as nice as I am." "I'm no spy!" "I'm a Russian patriot." "How are you going to prove that?" "." "And Verushka, what will happen to her, just because you continue denying this?" "." "No traces." "No marks." "I am Hitler, I am Stalin!" "Who sent you?" "." "Vladimir Kasakov, I've come here of my own accord." "This is my first day here." " Why do you speak Russian?" "." " Because I can." "That's probably why I am here." "I've been told the bandages come off today." " How long until they come and get me?" "." " No one will come until you're well." "Now you're in my hands." "A friend once taught me a little Russian." "And introduced me to Russian literature and culture." "Later we can talk and try to forget these sad times we live in." "This may not be the best time." "My destiny is in the hands of others." "You are handsome." "I still recall that wondrous moment." "When you appeared before my eyes." "Like a fleeting apparition." "Like pure beauty's distillation." "Once a miracle came to me." "A dream." "Love." "The one I had been dreaming of   came to me." "And that dark war-filled day became clear, joyful and strong." "Where is your light-blue uniform?" "." "Didn't you recognize me?" "." "You are beautiful." "It is for letters." "Are you not staying?" "." "No, I have to get back for the evening count." "I just had to see you." "Dear Tatjana." "You wrote the following to me:" "Count me as your friend." ""A Russian friend is a friend for life, " my old Russian teacher told me." "I believed him." "But your motherland didn 't want such a friendship." "Could you explain to me why that is so?" "." "Destiny wanted us to care for the same man." "You became the happiest of us." "That is how it is." "Through him I loved Russia even more." "And I thought that Russia would in fact show us the way." "You..." "You 're going to bring misfortune on us all." "I curse the day you met her!" "She helped me when I was in Norway." "I can't let her down now." "You were interrogated when you came home." "You swore you had no connections abroad." "You swore the same when you returned to Leningrad to work." "What are we to believe?" "." "Mother." "There was no more bread, but I got a melon!" "And this!" "And after just four hours in line!" "According to Isvestia electricity production will increase   25% this year." "Soon the Soviet Union will light up the whole world." "Why would we need bread, as long as we're the light of the world?" "." "In this country you cannot trust anyone." "I don't think you should worry." "Vladimir knows what he has to do." "Fear is our daily bread, Tatjana." "The Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs." "Your Excellency, when your country joined NATO,   you declared that foreign bases would not be established on Norwegian soil!" "Providing there is no war or threat of war." "Nevertheless, American planes based in Norway   have a number of times violated Soviet airspace." "I strongly deny that!" "No planes based at Norwegian bases are allowed to operate in Soviet airspace." "You must be the most ill-informed person in Moscow, Ambassador!" "." "Remember, the Soviet Union has nuclear weapons capable of annihilating Norway." "A single bomb could shatter windows from Kirkenes to Oslo!" "." "I repeat, one bomb!" "." "Sometimes I feel like they know everything I'm going to say in advance." "That they know all of our views in detail." "You shouldn't let those Soviet Russians scare you." "Some of them are bullies." "A few years ago we found 13 microphones in the walls." "Even more reason to be careful." "Vera, if I may call you that..." "Moscow is a tough post." "I wish I had someone to talk to   openly and honestly." "Stalin is dead." "We don't know what the consequence will be." "But there is reason to fear that most things will continue as before." "I therefore once again strongly caution all embassy employees   against too close contact with the Russians." "If contact can't be avoided it should be reported to me immediately." "The cold war is still just as cold." "All mail to and from Norway will be sent by courier, as usual." "Both the courier and the mail   is protected by diplomatic immunity." "It's good we have plenty of time." "Yes, it's good." "Our great father and leader Stalin lies in state in the Kremlin." "The streets will be crowded." "Yes." "Our good friend Vladimir Ilych Lenin warned against Stalin   but soon they will lie side by side in the same mausoleum." "Yes, you are right..." "Though things like this are not to occur in our Communist paradise." "That is, two men in the same bed." "Who are you really, Yuri?" "." "Gosposha Vera, I'm but a simple driver." "This is your captain speaking." "Due to a small technical problem,   we will have a short stop in Leningrad before continuing to Oslo." "Technical problems." "No." "No, it's taken care of." "The airline has already reserved rooms for us at Hotel Astoria." "Tomorrow." "No." "Don't worry about it." "Everything is fine." "Russian custom says that if I kissed you when we parted " " I have to kiss you when we meet again." "Why do we have to be so formal with each other all the time?" "." "I've recovered." "No..." "They want to send me to Fauske to do construction work..." "I'm with you for the last time." "No." "No." "I'm certain we can keep you here at the hospital." " Verushka..." " For a long time!" "It's madness losing your heart to a slave." "A slave?" "." "You consider yourself a slave?" "." "Then Norwegians are slaves too." "We have lost all freedoms." "The Germans do what they want with us." "But that still doesn't make us slaves." "To be completely honest I've fallen in love with you." "You have pierced so deeply into my soul that I am ready for anything." "If you really want to intertwine your destiny with mine..." "Let it be so!" "Then let us be together in the time God has allotted us!" "I tried to make him stay." "But he wanted to return to Russia." "Thank you for helping me escape." "Even if I have to walk around the world, I will find you again." "There's a rumor that, due to Stalin's death and new policies,   changes are expected at the embassy in Moscow." "Everyone in the Ministry will be informed in the next few days." "We still don't know who will leave and who will stay." "But I assume you, Vera,   wouldn't mind breathing fresh air on the other side of the Iron Curtain?" "." "We are both responsible for the 40,000 Russian prisoners   in the Bodø area." "We can hardly imagine the suffering they have endured." "But the time of suffering is over." "Their motherland awaits them   and I wish them well." "According to rumors, " " Stalin said no Soviet soldier would allow himself to be taken prisoner." "They give their life for the motherland." "If not they are seen as traitors." "This cannot be true." "No system can be this ruthless to its citizens   after they have survived Nazi Germany's atrocities." "I therefore encourage Comrade Yevgeny Shevchenko to dispel these rumors - ... so Norway knows there is no danger in sending these prisoners back." "Dear friends." "The Red Army liberated Finnmark in the autumn of 1944." "In four years of war, the Soviet Union lost over 20 million people." "A number greater than the entire Scandinavian population." "Will anyone outside the Soviet Union ever be able to understand this aspect?" "." "One of the causes of this was that some of our own collaborated   with the enemy and ambushed us." "Some of these have been prisoners of war." "Therefore everyone that is repatriated will be thoroughly investigated." "But I assure you that those who have a clean record have nothing to fear." "Those who do not, will be punished." "My dear friend." "Once more in life I write you." "My previous letter was a letter of farewell." "And this letter..." "Shevchenko is waiting to talk to you." "The Germans, the British, the Americans   may have recruited agents among the prisoners." "I had but one goal:" "Get home so I could keep fighting." "I had maps and drawings sewn into my coat." "They show all the German positions around Bodø." "I've given them everything!" "Who helped you?" "." "You didn't do it alone." "Who?" "." "Who?" "." "Without her it wouldn't have been possible..." "Explain." "It's safe." "You'll never meet any of them again." "Never?" "." "But she deserves a medal!" "Russia is indebted to her!" "Shevchenko is the key." "He can get anything." "Medals." "Work." "A residence permit in Leningrad." "That is where you want to go?" "." "Home?" "." "Those who can't be trusted are sent to Siberia." "What did I love most about you, Volodshik?" "." "Comrades!" "It is a great event to unveil this monument   of our great Russian poet, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin." "We all know of the hard times during the war." "Years passed." "The raging, gusty storms dispersed my former reveries." "And I forgot your tender voice,   your features so divine." "We have faced many difficulties, Comrades..." "But we do not live on bread alone." "Russian literature has always helped us in times of trouble." "And we, Comrades..." "When can I see him again?" "." "It's a dangerous game, Vera." "The West is trying to strangle us." "Russia stands alone." "But I want to see him." "You cannot demand..." " Am I not doing what you ask of me?" "." " Silence!" "Someone might hear you." "Yuri..." "I'm not talking about conquering the Kremlin." "I'm talking about being allowed to meet the man I love." "It has become difficult." "Your country's politics make it nearly impossible." " My country's politics?" "." " Yes." "I'm going to scream!" "Go ahead, scream." "I still recall the wondrous moment." "When you appeared before my eyes." "Like a fleeting apparition." "Like pure beauty's distillation." "Here she is." "Allow me to introduce Vera Våge." "Piotr, Irena, Alexandra." "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to propose a toast   to a true friend and connoisseur of our great motherland!" "Our dear Vera has been here in Leningrad several times,   for both official and personal reasons." "She knows Leningrad, Lenin's city,   its culture, history and politics." "Perhaps even better than many of us   she also knows our great poet Pushkin's love poems by heart." "I hope she'll bring us much delight also in the time to come." "Cheers." "Let's also taste the vodka." "I apologize so very much, my friends, but I am required to leave you." "You're staying." "My friends know how best to take care of you, right?" "." "Absolutely." "To the Big House." "Take it easy." "You became ill." "But we are taking care of you." "I'm sick." "Please leave the room." "At once." "Don't always think of yourself." "Think of the dangers you expose Yuri Garliok to." "Yuri?" "." "My driver?" "." " Driver?" "." " Yes." "You have used him as your errand boy since you first arrived in the Soviet Union!" "Haven't you thought of the risks you've exposed him to?" "." "Vera probably doesn't mean to make things difficult." "I'm sure she wants   whatever is best." "Please leave." "No." "It's not going to be that simple." "First you'd better change your disposition." "But what do you want?" "." "We want you to sign this statement." "If you do, you and your friend have nothing to fear." "Does Vladimir know of this?" "." "He knows nothing, and he'll know nothing." "At one time I used to be able to make you laugh." "I'm cold..." "So they did it." "Despite the promises?" "." "Promises!" "In the world of the KGB and the CIA?" "." "Every once in a while I think you are more naive than me." "I held on for as long as I could." "In the end I had no choice." "Believe me, I had no idea." "I just wanted to protect us." "You, my family..." "Oh, God, what have I done?" "." "What have I done?" "." "Volodshik, dear..." "It doesn't matter what you did or didn't do." "We had no chance, because I loved you." "They screamed and threatened me an entire night." "I didn't sign." "Not until they said they would send you to a camp in Siberia." "That was too much." "That you were to die." "For my sake!" "They told me that I had acted like a true patriot!" "I gave them names, documents,   everything I came across, from then on." "My own country I could betray." "But never you." "And our love." "I'm sorry I wasn't able to restrain myself   when we said our last goodbye." "I feel so ashamed." "But I hope you have forgiven me." "And I beg that nothing happens to you   because of your "unhappy, foreign woman"." " I've been ordered to Oslo." " To Oslo?" "." "I leave tomorrow." "For good." "I've never loved a man like you." "I never will again." "I will never forget." "Tell me, how am I to live if I never see you again?" "." "Vladimir, our time is over." "What will happen to you, when you return?" "." "No... no..." "No!" "NORWEGIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS" "I'm aware that you've had a lot to do lately." "But Norway's official position on the Common Market and fishery talks   with the Soviet Union must be prepared at the same time." "You have to work overtime if necessary." "There's been a lot for you to do during all these years." "Have you ever been in love, Brynjulfsen?" "." "It would have changed your life." "I can't believe it." "The evidence is irrefutable." "You'll see." "She was..." "We were..." "You were...?" "." "Close?" "." "I needed someone to lean on." "That's understandable." "If this comes out, I'm finished." "I think it will all be over tomorrow." "Enter." "Welcome, Vladimir Alexandrovitch." "We've been expecting you." "What's on your mind this time?" "." "She doesn't understand why she can't write." "What shall I do?" "." "Slam the door whenever someone brings me a letter from her?" "." "In captivity in Norway, I went in and out of the camp like a hero to see her." "But here in my own country I can't even write to her!" "Don't exaggerate this." "We gave you a residence permit and opportunity to work." "Of course we won't stop you from writing to her." "If you get out of this alive,   you'll probably want to write to me." "And we'll meet again." "A long time ago,   when you came to me,   we also experienced joys and sorrows." "The joy was our love." "The sorrow was the war and the captivity." "It would have been easier if you had simply stopped loving me." "Simply had forgotten me." ""Simply" fallen in love with someone else." "But I'm no criminal, am I?" "." "I'm simply a human being who loves you." "And who loved your extraordinary country madly." "And you, my beloved friend, became helpless   because of this." "We became prisoners." "Do you know what they called us?" "." "Vika and Viking." "No trials." "No publicity." "It should be taken care of in a completely quiet manner." "And now it is goodbye." ""You will understand and forgive the misfortune I once suffered, "" ""once we have the chance to talk. "" "Gunvor Galtung Haavik, in a letter from prison." "Subtitles by Nortekst"