7
Diary of a Convict:
V.O. LIUBOV ARTEMIEVA
March 1966. I just now realized how stupid it was! I do not even know his name. He said that he was an American journalist and writes essays on the Russian nature. I called him a Yankee as a joke. It seemed he wasn’t offended. So I called him Jan – for short. My boy – he has his eyes.
ARTEMIEVA’S HAND TURNS PAGE AFTER PAGE
September 1966. I nearly went mad with grief when my son was taken away from me.
November 1967. My son is one year and two months! How is he there? How does he look now?
August 1968. It’s him! Damn, Jan! I recognized him immediately. What the hell is he doing here in the prison? How did he get here? And this woman with him – very well dressed. No, I’m not jealous!
August 1968. I was allowed a meeting with Jan! But what to tell him? That our son was taken away from me.
August 1968. I’m afraid. It is possible that the risk would cost me even longer, if not eternal separation from my dear son!
August. In 1968. I ran away from camp with Jan!
BACK TO SCENE
ARTEMIEV closes the diary.
8
INT. CLASS ROOM – GEOLOGY INSTITUTE – MODERN RUSSIA – DAY
NICHOLAY YURSKY a twenty-five year old lecturer stands in front of his students.
YURSKY
I have good news for you guys, the
expedition was approved.
Students get excited
YURSKY
So have you decided who is going?
KOVALEV – a well-built guy with small black eyes, stands up.
KOVALEV
Yes. I’ll go, Misha Samokhvalov and
Nastya Barsukova!
STUDENT 1
Nicholay Nickolaevich, is it true
that the place where you are going
…well, it does not exist?
STUDENT 2
And there is no gold there.
KOVALEV
There are mountains of gold there.
STUDENT 2
How do you know?
9
STUDENT 1
So when do you sail away to Kolyma?
YURSKY
First of all, it’s not Kolyma, second
of all it’s not all about gold.
NASTYA
Who else is going?
The CLASS turns to her. NASTYA – a beautiful young girl with big brown eyes – looks at YURSKY – smiling.
YURSKY
Artemiev – the head of the expedition
and I.
Students begin to shout GOLD. GOLD. GOLD
KNOCKING AT THE DOOR
It is ARTEMIEV
ARTEMIEV
Do you have a minute?
10
YURSKY
All right, the class is over for today.
You can go.
Students leave.
ARTEMIEV
I’ve been told you want to see me.
YURSKY
Severkov moused out something.
ARTEMIEV
OK, we will show them the smallest
deposit. Especially since the mines
are located so close to each other.
Only you and I know about the Rapid
River.
YURSKY
Severkov requested a preliminary
assay, which I made, but then the
data is now incorrect, if we show
only the smallest deposit.
In addition, you know, the rumors
will spread if there will be less
gold than expected, meaning that
someone has appropriated it. They
will send inspectors. You
understand what I mean?
ARTEMIEV
Here is a map. Show it to this man
from the top – Elkin. Tell him it’s
(MORE)
11
ARTEMIEV (CONT’D)
just a copy and I have the original.
You made a duplicate, when you
went to explore with me, and you
do not know how to find it.
ARTEMIEV hands YURSKY a piece of paper.
ARTEMIEV
By the way, we have new people on
our team. Guess who? Kovalev!
YURSKY
I know. I was surprised myself.
ARTEMIEV
Severkov told me to take him with us.
EXT. VILLAGE ROAD – RUSSIA – LATE EVENING
A luxurious SUV drives down a dusty road at a full speed.
ERNEST KOVALEV – is in the front seat on the passenger side.
Behind the wheel – GARIK, a roguish type of person.
In the back seat – NASTYA, MISHA SAMOCHVALOV AND ELKIN.
The SUV is followed by Artemiev’s old car.
Abruptly the SUV stops in front of the impregnable walls of a dark wood.
12
Geologists gets out
ARTEMIEV
Let’s halt. We will leave tomorrow
morning.
They make a fire and eat a canned dinner. YURSKY pitches a tent.
KOVALEV
Garik and I will sleep in the car.
ARTEMIEV
Let’s decide who’s going to be on
duty tonight.
KOVALEV
Yursky.