About the film
Veronika and Boris are young, in love and about to marry when Germany invades. Boris volunteers and leaves without saying a proper goodbye. Alone in the bombing of Moscow, Veronika makes a choice she will regret for the rest of the war.
Kalatozov and cameraman Sergei Urusevsky film the story with a freedom that stunned audiences: handheld shots, a camera that runs up staircases and spins through crowds, and close-ups of Tatiana Samoilova that made her an international star.
It was a symbol of the Khrushchev Thaw: a war film about one woman's heart rather than about heroic battles.
Did you know?
- It is the only Soviet film ever to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes (1958).
- Cinematographer Sergei Urusevsky invented new ways to move the camera for it.
- Tatiana Samoilova received a special mention at Cannes for her performance.
