Zemlyak

A genuine episode from the armed conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, 1994: encompassed by a vast snowscape, a father of four sons is forced to briefly leave his youngest with a wounded Azerbaijani, as the youngster's fears might otherwise endanger the family patrol. Among a hail of missiles the dead body later saves the life of the young Armenian, who resolves to secure him a decent burial from his own people in return. Uniforms are consequently exchanged, so that the dead person will be perceived as a fellow countryman; this however is not the logic of war and in showing a human side the protagonist ultimately becomes a victim himself.