Kids playing war games until the war plays them back.
Set in 1941 during World War II the film involves the lives of Volodya, Vanya, Galya and Nyusha and how this conflict has affected these children, portraying their struggles, resilience, and the enduring memories that shape their lives.
Direction
Viktyuk's theatrical eye makes devastation feel staged yet painfully real.
Acting
Child performances that actually feel like children, not tiny adults.
Director
Roman Viktyuk
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Part of the Soviet 'children of war' film wave that let the USSR process WWII through its smallest victims.
Viktyuk later became famous for provocative theater; this early film shows his restraint before his maximalist era.
SU
