Dawns Here Are Quiet (1972)

Nominated for the 1972 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, Russian director Stanislav Rostotski's epic WWII film is considered by many to be one of the best war movies ever made. Focusing on the little-known percentage of women who made up a small part of the Soviet army, DAWNS HERE ARE QUIET follows a small detachment of female soldiers, taking us into their private lives and following them into battle. The ensemble cast engages in combat with a German regiment attempting to surprise the Soviets, while the fighting sequences are interspersed with the women's recollections of family and civilian life back home. The women's daily existence turns out to provide a fascinating deviation from traditional war movies, as they attempt to navigate the additional difficulties brought on by their gender within a predominantly male milieu; this includes kicking their sergeant out of the barracks when he complains about their clothing. Ultimately the film illuminates the women's bravery and heroism in the face of strife and the misery of war.