ThetruestoryisofIvanSanchin,theKGBofficerwhowasStalin'sprivatefilmprojectionistfrom1939untilStalin'sdeath.ToldfromSanchin'sview,thesympatheticbuttragicallyflawedhero,squirrel,maintainsunwaveringfaithinhis"Master"despitethearrestofhisneighborsandhisinvolvementwiththeirdaughter,hiswife'saffairwiththechillingStateSecuritychiefLavrentiiBeriaandhertragicdecline,andthedeadlypoliticalmachinationswithintheKremlinhewitnessesfirsthand.