Directed by Larisa Shepitko

Though her name is now unjustly obscure, Larisa Shepitko was one of the boldest, most renowned filmmakers of the Soviet era. In her tragically short career, the Ukrainian-born auteur left behind only a handful of films—including the psychologically charged feminist character study WINGS and the shattering, spiritually transcendent World War II masterpiece THE ASCENT—but they rank among the greatest and most powerful works of Soviet cinema. These blazingly personal visions deserve to be rediscovered for their stunning visuals, masterful evocation of interior states, and profound humanism.