Discover the captivating story of Yelnya, a provincial Russian town steeped in a proud Soviet past. The documentary from 2019 is an eye-opening exploration of the town’s deep connection to the military, a result of the Red Army’s first victory against Hitler’s troops in 1941.
Venture into the heart of Yelnya and witness how the town’s residents – from children to elders – wholeheartedly embrace their military legacy. But amidst the annual rituals commemorating the “Great Patriotic War,” filmmaker Dmitry Bogolyubov delves deeper, exemplifying how the memory of war victims has been overshadowed by anti-Western propaganda and pervasive militarization in recent years. In this gripping documentary, discover how Yelnya’s quest to nourish young patriots and keep alive its military history is shaping the town’s present and future.
