On 16 December, 1930, the village of Shumanovka packed into horse-drawn sleds and crossed the frozen Amur River in search of freedom in China. 217 people. 60 wagons. The temperature plummeted to -50 Fahrenheit. The sky was clear and sound carried for miles. The Russian Mennonites had no idea if their flight would be successful or if this was a ticket to their deaths. Other Side of the River is the fictionalized version of this story.