In 1972 Gorky Film Studio released the epic war feature movie entitled The Dawns Here Are Quiet (Russian: “А зори здесь тихие”) that was destined to become one of the most popular motion pictures not only in Russia, but also in all former USSR member states. Stanislav Rostotsky was the director; his idea was to create a screen version of a novel of the same name by Boris Vasilyev.

The film was shot in the village of Syargilakhta in the Pryazhinsky District of the Republic of Karelia (Russia), in the vicinity of the Ruskealskie Waterfalls, and in Mosfilm studios. By that time Olga Ostroumova (the part of Zhenya Komelkova) was the only popular actress who happened to star Stanislav Rostotsky’s We’ll Live till Monday (Russian: «Доживём до понедельника»). For the rest of the cast the film was a tremendous debut. Andrei Martynov, for example, who was only 26 then, had to play the part of Fedot Vaskov, a 32-year sergeant; thus he appeared much older on the screen.

The film is set in 1942, during the Great Patriotic War. Two anti-aircraft platoons are deployed near a railroad crossroads in the rear of the soviet troops. Sergeant Fedot Vaskov, the Winter War veteran, always grumbling about his soldiers’ wobbling discipline, their not infrequent recourse to strong drinks and an inadmissible keen interest in the opposite sex, receives a group of volunteers, girls, fresh from school most of them. During one of her AWLs squadron commander Rita Osyanina discovers two German subversives. Returning back to the headquarters Osyanina reports to sergeant Vaskov, who decides to put an end to enemy activities.

Sergeant Fedot Vaskov, privates Zhenya Komelkova, Rita Osyanina, Liza Brichkina, Galina Chetvertak, and Sonya Gurich set out to intercept the saboteurs who might be targeting the Kirovsk railway. They lay an ambush, but instead of two they encounter 16 Nazis. Vaskov’s group engages the enemy. Reinforcements fail to come, for Liza, dispatched to get some help, gets drowned to death in a swamp. The girls fall one by one, though Vaskov is doing his best to save them. He is the only survivor of the fight. Gravely wounded and almost unarmed he captures the remaining Germans and their commander. On his way back to the camp, escorting the hostages, he finally meets the now useless reinforcements, headed by Comrade Number Three and Kiryanova. After demobilization Vaskov adopts Rita’s son.

Thirty years later Vaskov and his adopted son erect a memorial plate in the old battlefield, where the brave girls had fallen for their country.

For more information on war heroes visit Our Victory social project official website.