In 1872 an austro-hungarian expedition sets out to explore the Arctic Sea. The expedition lead by captain Carl Weyprecht and Julius Payer is part of the Golden Age of discovery voyages during the 19th century. The ship Tegetthoff is unexpectedly frozen into the pack ice and the crew is forced to drift with the ice for two polar winters. The expedition with dog-sleds discovers and surveys Franz-Josef-Land and sets a record with reaching almost 82°N. What follows is the desperate try for escape south, when the crew pulls loaded dinghies over the ice for about three months to reach open sea and Russia. The film, partially documentary play and documentary movie revisits the polar region to explore the landscapes and experience the crew made.
—Flo