Take one cute gay Canadian documentarian with a bit of a uniform fetish, 15 cute Russian Naval Academy Cadets, add many, many bottles of Vodka and some American cigarettes and you get a documentary such as this.
The film maker stated that he started this documentary because he had "a bit of a thing" for Russian boys in "perhaps the world's cutest uniforms" but after talking with the boys he quickly went beyond the initial attraction.
In Russia, military service of some type is mandatory for all Russian males. The choices are either 2 years in the unbelievably harsh environment of the Russian Army or 5 years as a military cadet followed by 5 years of active service. Very few Russian males have the means of buying their way out of their military commitment.
The guys in this film are from both camps, the naval academy and the regular army. While the naval academy guys have a MUCH longer commitment it seems that they are generally better supervised and conditions while not ideal are at least humane.
The Army on the other hand has a reputation of severe hazing and abuse of power by the older soldiers over the younger. It's estimated that over 3000 soldiers die each year and these are NOT from training accidents but from hazing related incidents.
The filmmaker (and the audience) may have started this documentary with prurient interests but after the first few young guys open their hearts and souls to the camera we quickly become interested in the young men themselves and their ordeals.
We are also won over by the boys honest declarations of love for their fellows and their willingness to die for each other.
One film-goer asked the film maker "Did you meet any homely Russian boys" but it's not just their appearance that gets you. As the film maker said, these guys have very open souls.
