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Trailer

The Ascent

1977Movie1 h 50 min

Drama
91
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.2Rotten Tomatoes100%91%

A deeply moving, relentlessly bleak drama movie about history and war, with standout direction and performances.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

During a freezing WWII winter, two Soviet partisans on a mission to gather food contend with the temperature, the occupying Germans, and their own psyches.

Feels like

  • WWII Soviet Union
  • Moral Dilemma
  • Existential Crisis
  • Religious Allegory
  • Psychological Drama
  • Bleak and Unflinching
  • Intense Character Study
  • Historical Realism
  • Winter Warfare

Cast

23 of 23

Crew

Directed by
Larisa Shepitko
Written by
Larisa Shepitko, Vasili Bykov, Yuri Klepikov
Produced by
Willie Geller
Music by
Alfred Schnittke

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 2, 1977 · 1 h 50 min · Violence, Disturbing Imagery

Released
April 2, 1977
Runtime
1 h 50 min
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, War
Original language
Russian
Also spoken
German
Made in
Russia
Available in
15 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Ascent?"

Questions about The Ascent

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Ascent?

Criterion

In the United States, The Ascent streams on Criterion. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 9 other countries.

Is The Ascent worth watching?

91
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 91 (IMDb 8.2 and Rotten Tomatoes 100%). Critics rate it higher (100 out of 100) than audiences (87).

Will I feel good after watching The Ascent?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Is The Ascent plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is The Ascent in English?

RussianGerman

No, it was made in Russian, with some German.