Movie Description

The Forty-First is a 1956 Soviet film based on the eponymous novel by Boris Lavrenyev. It was directed by Grigori Chukhrai and starred Izolda Izvitskaya and Oleg Strizhenov. The film is set during the Russian Civil War and tells the story of a tragic romance between a female sniper of the Red Army and an officer of the White Army.

The Forty-First attracted 25.1 million viewers in the Soviet Union, becoming the tenth most successful picture at the 1956 box office. At the Mosfilm Festival of Young Filmmakers held between the 12th and 15th of April that year, the film won in the categories for Best Film, Best Actor and Best Cinematography. At the 1957 Edinburgh International Film Festival it won an Honorary Diploma. At the 1957 Cannes Film Festival, it also won the Special Jury Prize and was nominated for the Palme d'Or.