In 1977, Ozerov directed the ten-hour-long mini-series "Soldiers of Freedom", theatrically released as two 220 minutes feature films, a co-production that involved most of the Eastern Bloc European countries and dealt with the exploits of their contemporary leaders, especially Leonid Brezhnev, during the Second World War. He was granted the title People's Artist of the USSR in the same year, and was a member in the jury of the 30th Cannes Film Festival and the 10th Moscow International Film Festival.