Vsevolod Shilovsky Movies

Director Semyon Aranovich combines historical combat footage with a mix of black and white and murky color to create a fairly seamless narration about specific Soviet soldiers in the Baltics in 1944 and the women they meet and/or lose. War takes its toll on the one hand as buddies are killed in action -- demonstrated in the deliberate kamikaze dive of a damaged Russian plane into a German warship. On the other hand, personal relationships are themselves often tragic. Just after Bebolrov is wounded, he finds out his wife has a lover, just after Gavrilov joyfully meets his son, he begins to doubt the little boy is his, and just after Cherepovets starts a romantic liaison with Maria, she is killed by an act of war. Life offers no assurances, not even for a short while, and even in the face of these and other hardships, the soldiers will soon have to go into battle again. A poignant review of faces at the end of these travails reveals just how many did not survive. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Based on the last play written by Alexander Vampilov (1937-1972) titled "Last Summer in Chulimsk," the film focuses on events in the lives of its protagonists between sunrise and sunset, with the setting restricted mainly to the porch of the Siberian inn where many of the figures in the story are either staying or working. Valentina is an attractive waitress who is infatuated with an older, handsome police constable sharing his temporary room at the inn with the local female pharmacist. While she has her eyes on him, the acerbic innkeeper's wife (Inna Churikova, wife of the director Gleb Panfilov), is keeping her eye on her errant son who is bent on conquering Valentina's affections. Surrounding Valentina at the inn then, is a lascivious young man with no honorable intent, a police inspector who ignores her existence, a sharp boss in the way of the innkeeper's wife, and a meek innkeeper. Valentina's father himself would like to see his daughter married off to the local Party secretary. Each of these individuals is struggling with their own problems, but Valentina's personal choices seem the hardest since it looks like she is going to get what she does not want, and not get what she wants the most. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

This contemporary melodrama is narrated by a young woman (Anzhelika Nevolina) who was forced onto the streets when the death of her mother left her solely in the custody of her abusive father. After leaving home, she somehow found work, got married, and had some children. However, that all fell apart after the children died, and her marriage was no great shakes anyhow. Now she survives by petty thievery and occasional prostitution. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi