A 76-year-old engineer has a mission: he wants to connect the United States and Russia with a 100-kilometre railway tunnel under the Bering Strait.

THE STRAIT GUYS follows Czech-born mining engineer George and his eloquent protégé Scott along the proposed route of the Intercontinental Railroad through Alaska, to the Bering Strait and on to Russia. The Strait Guys are trying to convince international governments, corporations and indigenous tribes to give the green light to their $100 billion rail project – with the promise of becoming the Panama Canal of the 21st century. As they struggle to keep their monumental vision alive in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the Strait Guys leave us with the question: what is really preventing the US and Russia from being connected? Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the tunnel plan seems absurd. But the Strait Guys are more convinced than ever that their mega-project is exactly what the world needs to finally leave wars behind and create “peace, progress and prosperity” for all.

Written + directed by Rick Minnich
Co-writer + Editor: Matt Sweetwood
DoP: Lutz Reitemeier + Sergei Amirdzhanov
Music: Lukas Sweetwood
Dramaturgy: Geoffrey Smith
Production Manager: Bettina Morlock
Producer: Gunter Hanfgarn
Co-producers: Holm Taddiken, Teresa Renn, Rouven Rech

A HANFGARN & UFER production in co-production with Cine Impuls Leipzig and Torero Film Konstanz

USA & RUSSIA

It´s all true FF, Brazil
Arctic Councill FF, USA
DocEdge FF, New Zealand