Karaganda is the beginning of a feature film trilogy about the Russian mafia written by Max Weissberg.
The photo of Elena used in the film - which Vladimir holds onto as a source of hope - is in reality the actress's mother. The picture was taken in the early 1960s, a few years after the film's events take place.
The Red Monochorme, a digital camera that shoots only Black & White, was used for the film.