Two Prosecutors

A young Soviet prosecutor in 1937 comes across a letter from a Bryansk prisoner and becomes convinced the man is a victim of NKVD corruption. He uses his oversight role to secure a prison visit, hoping to verify the claims and press for an inquiry.

In the Bryansk prison, Kornyev meets Stepniak, an imprisoned Old Bolshevik. He earns the old man's trust by recounting how he attended one of Stepniak's speeches about truth and Bolshevism in law school. Stepniak reveals torture wounds and begs him to tell Stalin or the Politburo about wrongful convictions shaped by the NKVD.

As Kornyev leaves, a prison official observing him makes a phone call while insulting his intelligence. The moment underscores the constant surveillance and pressure surrounding him in Bryansk.

Kornyev travels by train to Moscow, hoping for answers. He cannot sleep as a peglegged WWI veteran narrates a story about visiting Lenin in Smolny and seeking alms from Stalin, illustrating how memory and power persist across generations.

In Moscow, Kornyev struggles through the bureaucracy at the Procurator General's Office, facing long delays and puzzled staff. After an earnest plea to Vyshinsky's secretary, he finally earns a chance at an appointment.

Kornyev meets Procurator General Andrey Vyshinsky, describes the conditions in Bryansk, and shows Stepniak's bloody letter. He explains that the local prosecutor is cowed by the NKVD and fears officials who resist the system.

Vyshinsky tells him that without strong documentary evidence, an inquiry cannot be opened. He sends Kornyev back to Bryansk with documents authorizing further investigations.

On the train back, Kornyev sits with Vasily and Petya, engineers who toast to Soviet law and play guitar with him. The encounter emphasizes a shared, almost performative belief in the system despite looming danger.

Back in Bryansk, the trio accompany Kornyev from the station and Petya aggressively questions him about his virginity before they drive past his destination. The exchange hints at the era's intimate invasions of privacy and the casual cruelty that can accompany arrests.

Vasily tells Kornyev that he is under arrest, and the car drives toward the prison facility. The scene marks the culmination of Kornyev's escalation within a system that resists scrutiny.