The Ascent

Larisa Shepitko's last film before her sudden death in 1979, The Ascent tells the story of two Soviet soldiers, during the Second World War, who on their mission to collect supplies from a nearby farm, separate from their platoon. When they encounter German soldiers, the two protagonists are forced to walk deep into the forest, in an attempt to find refuge among the peasants. The journey through the occupied territory results, simultaneously, in a psychological journey, evoking religious allegories, particularly the figures of Christ and Judas, and creating a poetic and profound work that reflects on the effect of the horrors of war on each individual. The film won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.