Tarkovsky, oft considered one of the great auteurs of the 20th century, made his directorial debut with Ivan’s Childhood.

Occurring during the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, a young boy, orphaned by the murder of his parents, joins the military as a scout, vowing to take revenge upon the Nazi regime.

Stubborn, brilliant, and naive, Ivan percieves war as litte more than a game to be won. This gamification of horror allows Ivan to cope with the death of his friends, family, and ever dwindling loved ones. Furthermore, this naive gravitas constructs a wall of ignorance and false bravery, allowing Ivan to put his own life at risk with little care or worry.

Conceived in the confines of terror, Tarkovsky punctures the film with sharp, horror stricken images. Images not so much of war or death, but the trauma of those who survive.

Despite the film’s deceiving title, Ivan is rarely center stage, often thrown to the side by men who care for nothing but war and landscapes ravaged by the cruelty of humanity.

It is a film which does not condemn the enemy, nor celebrate the victor, but rather pulls the curtain behind so-called valor. It is a film which whole heartedly recognized the evil of humaity, and commands us to witness these atrocities so we may come out the other side as kinder, gentler, and more caring humans.