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The Great Patriotic War is one of the most important events of the last century in the history of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. This is an epoch-making event that will forever remain in human memory. More than seventy years have passed since the end of the war, and those events do not cease to excite even today.
We tried to select for you the best films about the Great Patriotic War, including in the list not only the classics of the Soviet period, but also the latest films that were already shot in modern Russia.
10 At war as at war | 1969
This is an old Soviet film about the Great Patriotic War, which was filmed back in 1969, directed by Viktor Tregubovich.
The film shows the combat everyday life of Soviet tankers, their contribution to the victory. The picture tells about the crew of the SU-100 self-propelled gun, under the command of junior lieutenant Maleshkin (played by Mikhail Kononov), who just came to the front after school. Under his command are experienced fighters, whose authority he is trying to win.
This is one of the best Soviet films about the war. Especially worth noting is the brilliant cast: Kononov, Borisov, Odinokov, as well as the excellent work of the director.
9. Hot snow | 1972
Another great Soviet film, shot in 1972 based on Bondarev’s excellent book. The film shows one of the episodes of the Battle of Stalingrad – a turning point in the entire Great Patriotic War.
Then the Soviet soldiers stood in the way of the German tanks, who were trying to unblock the group of Nazis surrounded in Stalingrad.
The film has a great script and excellent acting.
8. Burnt by the Sun 2: Anticipation | 2010
This is a modern Russian film made by famous Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov. It was released on a wide screen in 2010 and is a continuation of the first part of the trilogy, which appeared in 1994.
The film has a very decent budget of 33 million euros and a great cast. We can say that almost all famous Russian actors starred in this film. Another thing worth noting is the excellent work of the operator.
This film received a very mixed assessment, both from critics and ordinary viewers. The film continues the story of the Kotov family. Komdiv Kotov ends up in a penal battalion, his daughter Nadya also ends up at the front. This film shows all the dirt and injustice of that war, the enormous suffering that the victorious people had to go through.
7. They fought for their Motherland | 1975
This Soviet film about the war has long been a classic. Not a single anniversary of the Victory is complete without its display. This is a wonderful work of the brilliant Soviet director Sergei Bondarchuk. The film was released in 1975.
This picture depicts one of the most difficult periods of the Great Patriotic War – the summer of 1942. After the defeat near Kharkov, Soviet troops retreat to the Volga, it seems that no one can stop the Nazi hordes. However, ordinary Soviet soldiers stand in the way of the enemy and the enemy fails to pass.
An excellent cast is involved in this film: Tikhonov, Burkov, Lapikov, Nikulin. This picture was the last film of the brilliant Soviet actor Vasily Shukshin.
6. Cranes are flying | 1957
The only Soviet film that received the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival – the Palme d’Or. This film about the Second World War was released in 1957, directed by Mikhail Kalatozov.
At the center of this story is the story of two lovers whose happiness was interrupted by the war. This is a very tragic story, which shows with incredible force how many human destinies were distorted by that war. This film is about those terrible trials that the military generation had to endure and which not everyone managed to overcome.
The Soviet leadership did not like the film: Khrushchev called the main character a “whore”, but the audience really liked the picture, and not only in the USSR. Until the early 90s of the last century, this picture was very loved in France.
5. Own | 2004
This is a fairly new Russian film about the Great Patriotic War, which was released on the big screen in 2004. The director of the film is Dmitry Meskhiev. When creating the picture, 2,5 million dollars were spent.
This film is about human relations during the Great Patriotic War. The fact that the Soviet people took up arms to protect everything that they considered their own. They defended their land, homes, their loved ones. And politics in this conflict did not play a very big role.
The events of the film take place in the tragic year 1941. The Germans are advancing rapidly, the Red Army leaves towns and villages, gets surrounded, suffers crushing defeats. During one of the battles, Chekist Anatoly, political instructor Livshits and fighter Blinov are captured by the Germans.
Blinov and his comrades make a successful escape, and they head to the village where the Red Army soldier comes from. Blinov’s father is the headman in the village, he shelters the fugitives. The role of the headman was brilliantly played by Bogdan Stupka.
4. White tiger | year 2012
The film was released on a wide screen in 2012, directed by its wonderful director Karen Shakhnazarov. The budget of the film is over six million dollars.
The action of the picture takes place at the final stage of the Great Patriotic War. The German troops are defeated, and more and more often during the battles a huge invulnerable tank appears, which the Soviet tankers call the “White Tiger”.
The main character of the film is a tankman, junior lieutenant Naydenov, who was on fire in a tank and after that received the mystical gift of communicating with tanks. It is he who is tasked with destroying the enemy machine. For these purposes, a special “thirty-four” and a special military unit are being created.
In this film, the “White Tiger” acts as a kind of symbol of Nazism, and the main character wants to find and destroy it even after the victory. Because if you do not destroy this symbol, then the war will not be over.
3. Only old men go into battle | 1973
Один из the best Soviet films about the Great Patriotic War. The film was shot in 1973 and directed by Leonid Bykov, who also played the title role. The script of the film is based on real events.
This picture tells about the front-line everyday life of fighter pilots of the “singing” squadron. The “old men” who make daily sorties and destroy the enemy are no more than twenty years old, but in war they grow up very quickly, knowing the bitterness of loss, the joy of victory over the enemy and the fury of a deadly fight.
The film involves excellent actors, this is undoubtedly the best film by Leonid Bykov, in which he showed both his acting skills and his directorial talent.
2. And the dawns here are quiet | 1972
This is another old Soviet war film loved by many generations. It was filmed in 1972 by director Stanislav Rostotsky.
This is a very touching story about anti-aircraft gunners who are forced to engage in an unequal battle with German saboteurs. The girls dreamed of the future, of love, of family and children, but fate decreed otherwise. All these plans were canceled by the war.
They went to defend their country and fulfilled their military duty to the end.
1. Brest fortress | 2010
This is the best film about the Great Patriotic War, which was released relatively recently – in 2010. He tells about the heroic defense of the Brest Fortress and about the first days of that terrible war. The story is told on behalf of a boy, Sasha Akimov, who is a real historical character and one of the few who were lucky enough to escape from the surrounded fortress.
The script of the film very accurately describes the events that took place that terrible June on the Soviet state border. It was based on real facts and historical documents of that era.