There is a scene where having given a group of orphans presents to celebrate new year Viktor then suggests taking them all to McDonalds. The woman in charge of the group is so overcome with happiness she cannot speak.
It vividly shows the contrast in between the rich and the poor in a country that is full of violence and corruption. In between the violence Viktor clings onto the quest for his penguin and that seems to set him apart from those that are motivated more by greed or power.
Having returned from Chechnya Viktor is without his penguin but back home to a world of political fixing and the odd home life of Sonya and Nina. He doesn’t seem to love either of them a great deal but does feel guilt towards Misha the penguin he last saw in a dog kennel eating gruel in Chechnya.
More tomorrow…
