During WWII a Soviet artillery unit is fighting Nazis while trying to do everything to save lives of a group of deaf children near their position.
Acting
Merzlikin's exhausted warmth anchors every scene.
Direction
Belevich trusts silence over bombast.
Practical Effects
Deaf child actors bring unperformable authenticity.
Director
Kirill Belevich
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Russian war cinema has shifted toward 'humanistic patriotism'—heroism through compassion, not conquest. This is peak example.
The deaf children were non-professionals from a St. Petersburg boarding school; their signing was untranslated for hearing actors to create genuine communication barriers on set.
RU
