Set in 1943 during the fierce battles near Vyazma, the story follows a young lieutenant who is stripped of his rank and sentenced to a military tribunal for cowardice. His "crime" was refusing to lead a direct, suicidal frontal assault on a German-held hill without the artillery support prescribed by military regulations.

To protect the helpless wounded soldiers, the three protagonists—despite their conflicting roles as captors and prisoner—must unite to fight a common enemy. Key Cast & Production

A group of German soldiers, attempting to break out of an encirclement, stumbles upon the same location.

A veteran soldier (an old private) and a young lieutenant from a commandant’s company are ordered to escort the demoted officer to the rear for trial.

While trekking through war-torn territory to reach the division headquarters, the trio encounters an abandoned field hospital (medsanbat) housed in an old forest church.

Portrays the demoted lieutenant, Vladimir Nikolaevich Smirnov. Philipp Bazhin: Plays the escorting junior lieutenant. Director: Vladimir Tumaev. Themes