Devoted to the last days of Soviet writer, poet, and Gulag survivor Varlam Shalamov, this film follows the efforts of two of Shalamovโs most devoted admirers to preserve the authorโs legacy. Having lost his sight and hearing and living in a retirement home, he carried on doing the only thing that mattered to himย โ writingย โ until his final breath. This film is a testament to the value of writings that tell the unpalatable truths of the 20th century. To evoke the gritty texture of the Soviet world, Sententia is shot on 16mm black and white film.