Seven Versts Before Dawn (2026)

Семь вёрст до рассвета

Director: Alexandr Andreev

Cast: Fyodor Dobronravov, Mariya Shukshina, Victor Dobronravov, Timofey Kochnev, Artyom Bystrov

Set against the harrowing backdrop of the Great Patriotic War’s opening days, elderly Kuzmich of Kurakino village foresees a grueling conflict ahead. When Nazi forces seize his home and oppression escalates, his deliberate detachment draws suspicion from the community. After witnessing the execution of neighbors and facing accusations of treason, Kuzmich reluctantly agrees to guide a German unit—under the pretense of securing a horse and shielding his family. His true mission, however, is a self-sacrificing ruse: through his grandson Vaska, he secretly alerts Soviet forces to the enemy’s path. In a final, fateful move, Kuzmich steers the German mountain troops into a deadly ambush, echoing the legendary sacrifice of Ivan Susanin. Paying the ultimate price, the old man leads the invaders to their doom, cementing his legacy as an enduring icon of grassroots defiance.