The Siege of Leningrad was a military blockade of the city of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) by German troops and their allies during the Great Patriotic War. Lasted from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. By the beginning of the blockade, there was insufficient food and fuel in the city to withstand a long siege. The only route of communication with Leningrad remained through Lake Ladoga, which was within the reach of the artillery and aviation of the besiegers. The capacity of this transport artery did not meet the needs of the city. As a result, mass famine began in Leningrad, aggravated by the particularly harsh first blockade winter, problems with heating and transport, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths among its residents.
Director: Andrey Zaitsev
Starring: Olga Ozollapina, Sergei Dreyden
2020*118 min.
English subtitles
The film is based on the works of Olga Berggolts, Daniil Granin and the memories of siege survivors.
February 1942, severe frosts, terrible hunger. Water supply and electricity do not work, transport is at a standstill, Leningrad is covered in snow and paralyzed. A young woman, Olga, walks across the city to see her father. She has just buried her husband and is sure that she will soon die of hunger too. She wants to see her father one last time and say goodbye to him.
Awards:
Winner of the Moscow International Film Festival (2020)
Award of the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Russia “Golden Eagle” (2021).
