Come and See (1985) - Elem Klimov

Rating: 9/10 (7 February 2011)

Elem Klimov leaves no stone unturned and nothing to one's imagination in this film. The audience and the camera are invited to come and see with Florya and Glasha, a childhood gone awry with the horrors of war. Glasha invites you to visit the portal of death and Klimov follows Florya and Glasha like "Hansel and Gretzel," as if the camera is an eye witness to what is happening; the audience and the camera have joined forces with Florya. The camera is no longer a camera, but a living, breathing person. We witness with Florya the non-stop suspension of his disbelief--the breakdown and breakthrough of a fourth wall every breathing moment of his life. We see, we feel, we hear for Florya. We pray, with no words. We are as hopeless and broken as Florya. We are in disbelief.
Then it snowed in a tiny little region called Byelorussia.