Who directed Ballad of a Soldier?
Ballad of a Soldier was directed and co-written by Grigory Chukhray. The film was produced at Mosfilm and released on the 1st of December 1959 in the Soviet Union.
Questions about Ballad of a Soldier
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who stars in Ballad of a Soldier?
The film stars Vladimir Ivashov as Private Alyosha Skvortsov and Zhanna Prokhorenko as Shura. Both actors were nineteen years old and had little acting experience at the time of filming.
What awards did Ballad of a Soldier win?
Ballad of a Soldier won the Special Jury Prize at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival, the 1962 BAFTA Award for Best Film From Any Source, the Bodil Award for Best European Film in 1961, and the Lenin Prize in 1961. It was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
How many tickets did Ballad of a Soldier sell in the Soviet Union?
Ballad of a Soldier sold 30.1 million tickets at screenings in the Soviet Union after its release on the 1st of December 1959.
Why does Ballad of a Soldier show soldiers wearing shoulder boards in 1942?
Director Grigory Chukhrai intentionally used the post-1943 shoulder board insignia even though the film is set in 1942. He anticipated European distribution and feared that audiences in countries liberated by Soviet troops would not recognize the liberator in the older-style uniform.
How is Ballad of a Soldier connected to Chainsaw Man?
In the 2025 anime film Chainsaw Man: The Movie: Reze Arc, the characters Denji and Makima watch a film that serves as a direct homage to Ballad of a Soldier.