Siberian Education (2013)
A gripping Italian crime drama about loyalty, honour, and betrayal inside a forgotten community of exiled criminals in the former Soviet Union.
Siberian Education - Movie Information
- Original Title: Educazione siberiana
- Release Year: 2013
- Directed by: Gabriele Salvatores
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, Crime
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 1h 50m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): February 27, 2013 (Italy - T), December 3, 2013 (Germany - 16), October 27, 2015 (Spain)
- Alternative Titles: Educación siberiana (ES), A Gangster's Tale (CA), Siberian Education (UK), Deadly Code (US), ゴッド・オブ・バイオレンス シベリアの狼たち (JP), Educazione siberiana (IT), Сибирское воспитание (RU)
- Production Companies: Cattleya, MiC, A&G
- Production Countries: Italy, Lithuania
Siberian Education - Plot
The story of a gang of children growing up in a community of banished criminals, in a forgotten corner of the former Soviet Union. This community rejects the world outside. The only law it obeys… is its own. Against this backdrop two best friends, Kolyma and Gagarin, gradually become fierce enemies as they find themselves on opposite sides of the strict code of honour of the 'honest criminal' brotherhood.
Siberian Education - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and get a first look at the world of Siberian Education:
In the mid-1980s, a Siberian gang leader is exiled to a small town on the Ukrainian border where he teaches his grandson the "honest criminal" code.
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Siberian Education - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Gabriele Salvatores
Main Cast
- John Malkovich
- Arnas Fedaravičius
- Vilius Tumalavicius
- Eleanor Tomlinson
- Peter Stormare
- Jonas Trukanas
- Andrius Paulavičius
- Donatas Šimukauskas
- Vitalij Porshnev
- Arvydas Lebeliūnas
Writers
- Gabriele Salvatores
- Stefano Rulli
- Sandro Petraglia
Producers
- Gina Gardini
- Marco Chimenz
- Riccardo Tozzi
- Giovanni Stabilini
Siberian Education - FAQs
What is Siberian Education about?
Siberian Education follows Kolyma and Gagarin, two boys raised inside a tight-knit community of exiled criminals in the former Soviet Union. Bound by a strict code of honour, their lifelong friendship slowly fractures as they grow up and find themselves on opposite sides of that very code.
Is Siberian Education based on a true story?
Yes, the film draws from the autobiographical novel by Nicolai Lilin, who claimed to have grown up in a Siberian Urka criminal community exiled to Transnistria. While the book sparked debate over its authenticity, it provided the vivid cultural and moral framework that drives the film's story.
Where can you stream Siberian Education?
You can catch Siberian Education on Tubi TV for free with ads. It's also available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, YouTube, and Fandango At Home, so there are plenty of ways to watch depending on your preference.
What does the 'honest criminal' code mean in the film?
The 'honest criminal' code is the community's unwritten law — a set of values passed down through generations that prizes loyalty, honour, and self-sufficiency over mainstream society's rules. Grandfather Kuzya embodies this code, and the film's central tension emerges when Kolyma and Gagarin interpret it in conflicting ways.
Who are the main actors in Siberian Education?
John Malkovich leads the cast as the wise and commanding Grandfather Kuzya. Arnas Fedaravičius and Vilius Tumalavicius play the two friends at the heart of the story, while Eleanor Tomlinson and Peter Stormare round out a strong international ensemble.
Does Siberian Education have a happy ending?
The film's ending is bittersweet rather than triumphant. Without giving too much away, the final act brings the consequences of the criminal code into sharp, painful focus. It's a conclusion that feels earned and emotionally resonant rather than neatly resolved.
Where was Siberian Education filmed?
Principal photography took place primarily in Lithuania, which stood in convincingly for the isolated, frost-bitten borderland communities of the former Soviet Union. The production is an Italian-Lithuanian co-production, and the Lithuanian landscapes lend the film a genuinely stark, atmospheric quality.
Is Siberian Education worth watching?
If you enjoy atmospheric crime dramas with strong performances and a distinctive cultural setting, Siberian Education is well worth your time. John Malkovich is magnetic as the patriarch, and director Gabriele Salvatores crafts a visually striking world that feels unlike most crime films you've seen.
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