ENGLAND!

Germany, 2000, 95 minutes, Colour.
Ivan Shvedoff, Merab Ninidze, Anna Geislerova.
Directed by Achim von Borries.

England! is a story about young volunteers who went to Chernobyl in 1986 to help clean up. There were also many conscripted soldiers drafted into the area. They did not realise the dangers of the nuclear reactor and infection. Two young men find that they are ill and leave for England. However, one of them, Valeri, who is an unsympathetic self‑absorbed character, wants to go to England. He is able to travel by bus to Berlin to search for his old friend Victor. However, Victor is dead. He meets another friend, a part‑time artist, Pavel. They clash and he leaves, trying to find work, especially with a friend, Maria. Terminally ill, he actually sets out on his journey with the help of Pavel and dies when he reaches the Channel. Pavel launches him on a raft into the water. England is a fantasy.

1. The work of a first‑time director and writer? A German perspective on Chernobyl and the dream of going to England?

2. The title, England! ‑ a dream for people from the Continent? Away from the hardships of the Soviet Union, Ukraine? A different world? Unknown and a dream?

3. The Chernobyl locations and the orange tint? Ukraine, the bus journey, Berlin and its environment? The English Channel? The musical score?

4. The information about Chernobyl, the reactor and the danger, the conscripts and the volunteers? The effect on their health? Victor and Valeri crashing out and trying to go on their journey?

5. The passing of the years and Valeri's illness? His travelling on the bus, his meeting with the young girl and their conversations? The woman smuggling the alcohol? The border, his escape, getting into Germany?

6. Trying to find Victor, Victor dead, getting work? Finding Pavel? His irresponsibility ‑ throwing the newspapers over a wall? Pavel and his art exhibition, Valeri and his drinking, interfering? The growing illness and his haemorrhaging? The performance at the opening of the exhibition, his telling everything to Pavel in the toilet ‑ and discovering it wasn't Pavel? His moving out, telling him he was going to stay with Victor? Shurik giving him the jobs? The friendship with Maria, the sexual encounter, her son? The situation with Shurik? His continued illness, angers ‑ especially for example at the Santa Claus? His collapsing, Pavel coming to see him, giving up the art exhibition, travelling by bus, trying to get him to eat, arrival at the shore, watching the ferry? His death on the shore and his being put to sea in an old Viking tradition?

7. Victor, his dreams, going to Berlin, work, death?

8. Pavel, the work in the employment office, his art, employment offices as the modern cathedrals? His anger with Valeri, turning him out? The contract for the exhibition? Meeting Maria, going to see Valeri, giving up the opening, taking him by bus and putting him on the water?

9. Maria, refugee, relationship with Shurik, friendship with Victor, with Valeri? The sexual encounters as not having anything to do with her life? Her son? Getting Pavel to come?

10. Shurik, employment, the refugees? Relationship with Maria? The Christmas gifts?

11. Refugees from Eastern Europe, their lack of means, the past, traditions, illness? Opportunities in Germany? The hopes in England? Contemporary continental social problems?