Road to Life is a 1931 Soviet crime drama film written and directed by Nikolai Ekk. The film won an award at the 1932 Venice International Film Festival, which went to Ekk for Most Convincing Director.

Plot

In Moscow operates one of the countless gangs of street kids – Zhigan's gang. The boys who belong to it have been living on the street for a long time. In December 1923 police forces conduct a raid, and catch about a thousand homeless children. Almost all of them are distributed to orphanages. But there are several dozen minors who run away from all the orphanages to which they are sent. For example, Mustafa has escaped 8 times and had to be returned 15 times by the authorities. What is one supposed to do with them? This leads to a decision to send them over to a house of correction, that is, a prison for minors.