Inspired by real-life events, the story – written by the director (based upon an idea by George Duchidze) – paints a very lively and wonderfully accurate portrait of these imprisoned youngsters’ daily life (a routine dotted with incidents, some of which are especially dramatic, whilst others are more than likely included in order to diversify what is overall a rather simple plot), shored up (beyond Nika and the coach) by a number of emblematic characters: the bad guy Melonhead (George Khurtsilava), the ambiguous Zuka (Viktor Barbakadze), the victims Mate (Tedo Bekauri) and Dachi (Lasha Katsiashvili), and the guard Kako (Gaga Shishinashvili). Tato Kotetishvili’s agile camera makes intelligent use of space – despite the latter being in rather short supply (we’re talking dormitories, corridors, recesses, the yard…) – and of the movements made by the group and by individuals in and out of the picture, conveying to perfection (on the scale of a microcosm, and reflecting the macrocosm of the country) just how difficult it is to escape such a firmly entrenched pernicious structure, and demonstrating that breaking free from such a situation can only take place through the combination of brave, personal decisions and the strength to take action together.