The invasion of a village in Belarus by German forces sends young Florya into the forest to join the weary Resistance fighters, against his family's wishes. There he meets a girl, Glasha, who accompanies him back to his village. On returning home, Florya finds his family and fellow peasants massacred. His continued survival amidst the brutal debris of war becomes increasingly nightmarish, a battle between despair and hope.
A truly horrifying experience. I completely recommend everyone sees this film at least once if only to convey just how shocking, frightening, manic and bloody war is. It's a study in just how far people can be pushed. Watching this for the first time was a profound experience that will always sit with me. Framing the narrative around one boy is a particularly strong framework to build on. Sticking to one protagonist conveys there's only one person we can rely on. Following a young boy too emphasises the horror further as his innocence is robbed and how his attitude changes from being care free to being disturbed. It's an excellent performance from Aleksei Kravchenko as he visibility ages during the film. The cinematography is incredibly powerful too. The really tight close ups really pack a punch, because they provide the actors the opportunity to perform but humanise the characters so effectively. There are some excellent one take tracking shots. The mise-en-scene adds some rea
