The Dawns Here Are Quiet

In a bleak frontier village tucked into Karelia, a seasoned sergeant runs an anti-aircraft battery guarding a vital rail depot. When his squad is sent to the front and discipline falters, he complains that replacements should be sober and capable rather than drinkers and troublemakers. His demand is granted in an unexpected form: a freshly trained crew drawn entirely from young women. The sergeant must adapt to leading a unit whose gender, age, and training challenge conventional wartime roles. As they practice, endure harsh weather, and learn to shoot under pressure, bonds form among the unlikely crew and the stern commander, testing authority and forging new norms without surrendering their mission. As they train they reconcile different backgrounds to unity.

Director Stanislav Rostotsky brings a restrained, character driven approach to Boris Vasilyev and Valeriya Pogozheva's source material, a wartime drama emphasizing teamwork and dignity under fire. He relies on ups and weathered sets to ground story in a wartime world.

Box office data for this Soviet drama is not readily available in public records, and it did not have an international release. Its domestic reception is less documented in Western sources, though it remains a touchstone in Rostotsky's distinguished career.

The film helped normalize the image of women in frontline roles during WWII and became a touchstone in Soviet cinema for ensemble work under pressure, inspiring later films about women in combat and service. It is frequently discussed in studies of gender and national identity and is broadcast during commemorations.

Critics have generally praised Rostotsky's restrained tone and the cast led by Irina Dolganova, Elena Drapeko, and Olga Ostroumova for portraying courage, discipline, and solidarity. The film probes leadership versus compassion and the ways people respond when a community is under threat, leaving room for lasting collective reflection and dialogue.