Winter, 1942. Beyond the Arctic Circle, on the uninhabited island of Trofimovsk in the Laptev Sea, deported peoples struggle to survive. This is the place chosen by the Soviet authorities to deport vast numbers of people from the occupied Baltic countries, Finland, Ukraine, and elsewhere. In this harsh, alien landscape, man is a mere speck. Against the backdrop of such majestic isolation, thousands face the savage indifference and cruelty of nature. Living constantly on the edge, they must find a way to stay alive. All the experiences depicted are based on the vivid memories of those who survived.