Ascent, The

Larisa Shepitko, 1976; 110m

Even if Larisa Shepitko had only made The Ascent, her name would be accorded a place of honor in the annals of contemporary cinema. A work of extraordinary emotional power and spiritual resonance, the film is set in snow-covered Byelorussian landscapes during the darkest days of World War II. Two soldiers are separated from their platoon, captured by the Germans and sent to a prison camp. Thus begins two parallel yet connected journeys, as each man struggles with the meaning and value of his life when set against ideas of patriotism or simply a commitment to others. The Ascent was awarded the Golden Bear at the 1977 Berlin Film Festival, along with the International Critics" Prize and an award from the Catholic Film Office" a rare "riple crown" that promoted Shepitko to the front ranks of international cinema. Tragically, she was killed in a car accident while working on her next film just months later.

by Richard Pena