Povest plamennykh let / Chronicle of Flaming Years

In this visually arresting film filled with breathtaking battle sequences, director Yuliya Solntseva explores the apocalyptic effects of World War II on the Ukrainian people and countryside. Conflict, chaos, and destruction surround Ivan Orlyukov, a young soldier in the Red Army in 1941. His fierce commitment to pushing the Germans back finally leads him to walk victoriously through the Brandenburg Gate. Solntseva also pays attention to the devastating effects of war on civilians, including Orlyukov's parents, young women, and children, as well as how war creates insanity among German and Russian officers and soldiers. Yuliya Solntseva won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival in 1961 for this film, becoming the first woman to do so.