Stalin had een brug beloofd

Stalin had een brug beloofd Gerard Jacobs brings to light the consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union to the inhabitants of a village community in Western Siberia. From time immemorial the Khanten, a tribe of reindeer nomads, have been living in the swampy region on the banks of the Ob river. Other inhabitants of the area are former political prisoners, who were sent to this 'Gulag Archipelago' by Stalin. In the sixties they were joined by workers in the oil industry. Through the testimonies of three women Jacobs unravels the consequences of terror and oppression. Only at the end of the film they have the courage to show their real feelings about Stalin. The ghastly account about the clearing away of a mass grave is the dramatic highlight of this film. During the latest Dutch Film Festival stalin had een brug beloofd was awarded the Golden Calf for the best short documentary. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)