While her husband Mitja lies trapped at the bottom of the Barents Sea inside the dying Russian submarine Kursk, Olga Kolesnikov tries to hold onto hope that she will see her beloved again. As rescue attempts fail and the true horrors of the ill-fated Kursk become undeniable, Olga’s grief overwhelms her—Mitja is dead, her love is lost. When Mitja’s body is recovered, a handwritten note to Olga is discovered. Burned along the edges, oily, but readable, Mitja’s letter becomes a lifeline for Olga, something of his she can hold onto, something of him she can keep. This film, like Mitja’s letter itself, is a graceful, even poetic note that stares dissolution in the eye without blinking, offering a rare look at the power of love and the intensity of true, deep connection between two people.  JR