The Flight

In November 1920, the Red Army pushes into Crimea, triggering panic among the former elite. The collapse of their privileged world forces many to flee or hide, sparking a large exodus from Russia. The story follows a group of characters whose futures hang in the balance as the chaos unfolds.

The group—Serafima Korzukhina, General Charnota, Lyuska, Golubkov, and General Khludov—begins their escape to Constantinople, traveling by train and ship. They leave behind the world they knew and confront the dangers of exile. This journey marks the first step in a precarious new life abroad.

In Constantinople, exile brings poverty and hardship as they fall from their former social standing. The veterans and officials must scramble for survival in a foreign city. The sense of security and control they once had seems distant and unattainable.

General Khludov becomes increasingly erratic, tormented by visions of the men he ordered executed. The ghostly presence of his past actions haunts his every step in exile. His grip on reality weakens as the war's trauma refuses to fade.

Serafima confronts an unbearable choice as survival pressures mount, with prostitution looming as a grim option in Constantinople. Her plight underscores the moral costs of exile for those who once thrived under privilege. The emotional toll drives the other characters to seek drastic solutions.

To save Serafima, Golubkov and Charnota embark on a desperate journey to Paris to locate Serafima’s estranged husband, Korzukhin, hoping he can provide funds for her future. They confront danger and uncertainty as they cross borders in search of a lifeline. The mission marks a shift from survival to pursuit of financial rescue.

In Paris, Korzukhin coldly denies Serafima any financial support. Charnota responds with a bold challenge to a card game, risking a confrontation that could change their fate. The high-stakes gamble reveals their stubborn desperation.

Charnota defeats Korzukhin in the card game, winning a significant sum. With Lyuska's help, who is now involved with Korzukhin, Golubkov and Charnota escape Paris with the prize. They secure the means to begin anew outside Russia.

Back in Constantinople, Golubkov and Serafima decide to return to Soviet Russia, drawn by a longing for belonging and a chance at redemption. They acknowledge the risks but choose to pursue a homeland that still calls to them. Their bond deepens as they prepare to face whatever awaits them.

The White generals remain in exile, unable to return home and face possible execution. Charnota resumes gambling and adopts the wanderer persona, calling himself the 'Flying Dutchman' or 'Ahasuerus' as a defiant, tragic identity. The prospect of a permanent exile defines his stubborn endurance.

Khludov is consumed by guilt from his wartime past, and his memories of orders haunt him more intensely. The dreamlike visions continue to punctuate his days, eroding any sense of stability. His psyche frays under the weight of the choices he made.

The film culminates in a dream-like scene where Golubkov and Serafima ride through a snowy Russian forest. The sequence blurs memory and longing, emphasizing a yearning for homeland and belonging that remains unresolved. It leaves their fate and the homeland's promise open to interpretation.