HOW BIG IS THE GALAXY?

Gently, the pink light of the Artic Circle caresses the snow-covered landscape. There is not a single house as far as the eye can see, just reindeer, trees and snow. Seven-year-old Zakhar lives in this remote location with his older brother, his parents – and his school teacher. Patiently, she explains everything to the boys that they are supposed to know according to the state’s curriculum. Putin watches over the boys’ progress from his perch on an educational poster pinned to the wall. But excitement comes in the form of quite different subjects, like outer space and horror movies. Director Ksenia Elyan manages to capture the fantastic and never boring world of children, while painting an engrossing portrait of a nomadic family high up in Russia’s northern territory.