The Geographer Drank His Globe Away is a 2013 Russian drama film directed by Alexander Veledinsky. It is based on the novel of the same name by Alexei Ivanov. The film centers around the character of Victor Sluzhkin, a disillusioned geography teacher who is struggling to find meaning in his life.
As the film opens, Sluzhkin is introduced to his new class of high school students in Perm, a city in the Urals. He is immediately nicknamed Geographer by his students, who find him dull and uninteresting. Sluzhkin's personal life is also in shambles; he is an alcoholic and has just broken up with his girlfriend.
He becomes infatuated with one of his students, a young girl named Sveta, and their relationship becomes increasingly inappropriate. Despite this, Sluzhkin decides to take Sveta and a group of her friends on a rafting trip to the Urals.
As they make their way down the river, the group faces a number of challenges and obstacles, including dangerous rapids and encounters with hostile locals. Along the way, Sluzhkin begins to open up to the students and shares his own personal struggles and regrets.
The Geographer Drank His Globe Away is a thought-provoking and poignant film that explores themes of self-discovery, redemption, and the search for meaning in life. The performances are excellent, particularly that of Konstantin Khabensky, who plays Sluzhkin with depth and nuance. Overall, the film is a powerful and moving portrait of a man who is trying to come to terms with his own failures and find a way forward.
