Ashes in the Snow (2018) User Reviews

Touching war drama.

[paulclaassen · 6/10 · 4 May 2020]

'Ashes in the Snow' is a war drama that tugs at the heartstrings. Note, this is not a film about soldiers on the battlefield. Instead, it concentrates on how it affects the people, and in particular Lithuanians.

One can only cringe at the inhumane things humans did during war, simply because their government expected it of them. It turned ordinary men into coldblooded killers. This film also showed us the reluctant soldiers. Men who found themselves in situations they dreaded. Yet, they still had orders to follow...

The acting is very good, especially Bel Powley as heroin Lina. We follow her family as they are taken from the comfort of their home, to a six-week long harrowing journey on a train, to a prison camp in Siberia, and finally to the freezing Laptev Sea. This is an emotional and heartfelt journey sure to set emotions in motion.

It upsets me that they changed so much.

[Neptune165 · 6/10 · 19 May 2019]

The events through her drawings, for history. But yes her character, and drawings didn't really have an impact on the movie. The lead character should lead the story. I was left disappointed I still liked it but I wish it wouldn't have changed so much. Besides the performances from the actors and actresses.The film is good, although I must say that a lot of the original material was cut out in this movie. In general, the film is nice and I think it fulfills something very important. It reveals, especially to those who don't have much knowledge of these facts, that this part of the history also existed. Main reason why the book was written.

Stalin's evil

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 11 January 2019]

Greetings again from the darkness. Most World War II films focus on the atrocities committed by Hitler's German forces, but this adaptation of Ruta Sepetys' novel ("Between Shades of Gray") reminds us of the evils under Stalin and the Russian seizure of the Baltic States. Director Marius A Markevicius delivers a feature film debut that is both historical drama and tale of human perseverance.

We have long since been educated on just how cruel humans can and have been to other humans, and director Markevicius - with a script from Ben York Jones (LIKE CRAZY, 2011) - doesn't shy away from the cruelty or atrocities, but he and cinematographer Ramunus Greicius capture the harshness and brutality of the Siberian environment, as well as the brief moments when those being held captive feel sparks of life.

Bel Powley (THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, 2015) stars as Lina, a young Lithuanian artist who lives with her family: mother Elena (Lisa Loven Kongsli, FORCE MAJEUR) and brother Jonas (Tom Sweet). The father/husband is played by Sam Hazeldine and we learn of his secret agenda and activism later in the film. When Russian troops forcibly remove mother and the two kids from their home, a long train ride ends with their working the fields in the Altai Labor Camp in Siberia.

Martin Wallstrom is excellent as Kretzky, a conflicted Russian soldier from the Ukraine. He's kind of persona non-grata on both sides, and as an outsider to the troops and the "devil" to the prisoners, he is somewhat of a sympathetic character. A year later (1942), the family and Officer Kretzky are shipped off to Laptev Sea in the Arctic Circle. This frozen tundra is no place for human beings and death seems preferable to freezing in misery. When giving the relocation order, Kretzky's commanding officer calls them "one big happy family in frozen hell". It's a great line. An acutely descriptive line.

Young Lina's childhood innocence has been shattered, but she possesses an inner strength that only such miserable circumstances could unveil. She carries on finding brief respites in her art and in fleeting romance with fellow prisoner Andrius (Jonah Hauer-King).

There is a story told, a legend really, about a fishing boat and its survivors - the correlation made late in the film. The devastating circumstances and desolate landscape are accompanied aptly by German composer Volker Bertelmann. But let's face it, war crimes against the innocent are tough to watch even in movie form, and this film, regardless of how expertly it's crafted, is relentless in bleakness - though heartfelt and sincere.

Lithuanian cinema

[DogePelis2015 · 7/10 · 25 July 2021]

It's a good movie about the Soviet invasion of Lithuania; the plot is good and the acting is decent; it is recommended.

The evils of 1940s Soviet regime.

[TxMike · 7 July 2019]

My wife and I watched this at home on DVD from our public library. Switching on subtitles during key scenes was nice, some of the mumbling with an accent was hard to understand.

This story is "inspired" by real events which means it is a fictional story representative of what happened back then, the 1940s, when Stalin's USSR was invading Eastern European countries and labeling residents as enemies, gathering them up and sending them to harsh labor camps. This story focuses on Lithuanians.

Bel Powley is the main focus, even though the actress was 25 or 26, she plays 16-yr-old Lina who has a knack for art - drawing, painting, these types of art. She is self-taught but her father hopes to get her admission to a formal art school. Right then, just after she receives her acceptance letter, is when her family and many others are forced into trucks then trains and shipped off to labor camps.

Of course part of the movie is to show how brutal the Soviets were but the main part is to show how people can work to maintain their dignity in such trying times. Interestingly, in the credits are a long list of "extras" who had ties to ancestors who had been imprisoned and mistreated during those times.

Good movie although hard to watch at times.

LINA'S ASHES

[mmthos · 7/10 · 24 September 2021]

1941--it was a very bad year for oppressed peoples: Germans gassed Jews and Russians sent Lithuanians off to Siberia to be worked to death. This is a story of guards and captives in such a labor camp, sensitively focusing on a select few individuals and their particular conflicts and understandings, distinguishing it from yet another concentration camp horror. Not to say the viewer is spared the extremity of brutality, only that characters' actions are presented in the larger contexts of their personas as they were before being brought together in their current circumstances, for a fuller understanding of what they do, and what they will do. Script, acting, camera work, everything high quality.

Beautifully bleak.

A solid film to join the genre

[boydpeters · 7/10 · 14 January 2019]

Film was not a big-budget, multi continent blockbuster. But it was entertaining, and enjoyable, and achieved its objective. Overall well written, good screenplay, well edited. Captured the narrative (I assume that) they wanted us to have. Would I watch it again? I doubt it. Would I recommend it, maybe not recommend it, but if someone wanted to watch something in this class I would definitely suggest it. Full credit to all involved, if you are not sure if you want to watch it you should, they did it very well

Does not quite work

[jj-106 · 6/10 · 17 July 2022]

While this is a story that needs to be told, somehow this film does not come together. The lead, Bel Powley, has a wide eyed look that seems to be almost a caricature of innocence. The attraction of the soldier and her mother does not have feeling and he is poorly explained. Some of the problem that the actors had was in the writing. For example nothing in the Bel Powley character showed the leadership as the dying mother declared. She showed innocence, not the clever reading of people that leaders have. Still there were touching moments and a history that should be known.

Soul touching movie

[vaida-63834 · 10/10 · 23 October 2018]

I have cried most of the movie - so touching and sensitive it is. Most of Lithuanians are well aware of the facts: people banishment to Siberia, their horrible travel and terrible living conditions there, deaths, illnesses, we've read books, we have listened stories of survivors. But to see this story on screen is as hard, as empowering - this trauma our nation carries through generations it keeps us strong and it keeps vulnerable at the same time. I keep wondering, what kind of nation we would be, if this would never happen, if these doctors, professors, artists, musicians, teachers would be alive and working for our country? I like the actors work very much, they did wonderful job, also the costumes are impressive as the camera work - amazing. The music is powerful and making cry - the national hymn in one of most unexpected and yet most reasoned place has left everybody I talked just speechless and breathless. I can understand, if for someone who is not familiar with our history, the movie might seem not so touching or important, but for us, Lithuanians it is.

Disappointing adaptation; fine movie

[mikevanderkolk · 6/10 · 18 November 2023]

As someone who enjoys teaching the novel Between Shades of Gray to my students, I was disappointed with much of this movie. The acting and cinematography are fine, but there are so many missing plot points and character development. Mr. Stalas is one of my favorite characters in the book, and I was excited to see Cosmo play that role. However, I was let down that he was just a face in the crowd. He's the most recognizable actor in one of the most pivotal roles from the novel, and he does next to nothing? Plus, this adaptation proves Lina right about Kretzsky. Instead of she being wrong about him being just another cog in the Soviet machine, he finds a way to be unredeemable. They no gray area in this book. The Lithuanians are all wrongly persecuted, and the Soviets are all maniacally oppressive abusers. Book Kretzsky is a representation of there being people who shine light within corruption.

The scene that gave me the most hope was when Lina drew Komorov. Despite her envisioning a snakehead in the novel, she draws a flattering portrait. Though a beautiful drawing, my hope of the devilish sketch being her imagination fell short.

The movie was fine, but I can at least confidently tell my students to not watch it.

Seeing but not feeling it.

[schuylerskye · 5/10 · 12 January 2019]

For fans of Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, the book from which it was adapted from, it was a disappointment. I have read the book so many times and it never fails to make my heart hurt. When I heard that it would be adapted into a movie, I prepared my heart and a box of tissues for it. I was so excited for it. Sadly, they were not needed. For non readers of the book, they would probably be more accepting of this movie. To the readers and fans, they kinda cheated on by removing parts of the book that were the most heartbreaking, changing certain parts in the story and overall failing to show and evoke emotions like despair, anger, hurt...emotions I certainly felt all throughout the book. There was nothing memorable with the movie. I did not connect with any of the characters. Tbh during some major plot points they decided to keep (although there were changes, most of them big ones), I was thinking this is it, this will be the part which would change my mind about this movie but after seeing it, my reaction was meh, that was it? They really could have done a better job with the screenplay. Will I watch it again? Sorry, hard pass for me. I'd just stick with the book.

Great Lithuanian cinema

[851222 · 9/10 · 19 March 2019]

Greetings from Lithuania.

Finally i saw a Lithuanian movie (most of it), which is the one that can definitely be safely shown abroad without embarrassment to itself. And the movie is "Ashes in the Snow" (2018). This is a highly solidly directed, acted, written, filmed and edited movie. It tells a true story and stories. My grandfather was one of those who witnessed and survived this experience on his own, luckily, he did come back.

Overall, "Ashes in the Snow" represent a good Lithuania cinema. Not some stupid pseudo / comedies for with same faces all over again targeted for same audiences trailers of which to even witness in a cinema feels like embarrassment. Not our "Tarantino" wannabe directors crime / comedies of a genre which faded away from cinema more then a decade ago - but in our country feels fresh!

"Ashes in the Snow" is the one who should be seen for all true movie lovers around the world. Great Lithuania cinema.

A letdown of a movie

[linas-morkunas · 6/10 · 23 January 2019]

Let me just preface by saying that I've expected a bit more from a movie with such touching and profound themes in it's premise - a painful and quite unforgettable chapter in a history of our small country. There was a lot more which could have been done with the subject matter, starting from selecting the right actors for the job (at least not hiring westerners, who have no emotional investment in this story whatsoever). The main english actress was so bad that she looked like she was face stoned throughout the whole movie with that one dumb expression stuck on her face the whole time. Other actors were not much better and pretty much interchangeable and unrecognizeable, with the notable exceptions coming from the performances of two villains of the movie - the russian camp commanders. Overall, only solid cinematography saved this mess from being a total garbage dump of a movie.

Had potential but didn't reach it

[J_1989 · 2/10 · 12 January 2019]

I was intrigued by the idea of this film having seen various beautiful films depicting struggles throughout history that really capture the heart and make you feel something.

This film did not live up to the expectation.

There is very little that makes you care about the characters. There is not enough history for you to learn anything from it. The suffering endured was the same throughout, it felt like not enough was actually happening to keep me interested. By the time I got near the end I just found myself feeling glad it was almost over.

All in all, a disappointment.

I think I might go watch the pianist to remind myself that beautiful and heartfelt films really do exist.

RECOMMEND! Glad this film was made

[kairaa · 10 August 2019]

It's really important to understand the atrocities and oppression of the Russian government over Eastern Europeans. This film takes place during World War II but even under the Tsar/Czar in the late 1800's and early 1900's, Russia was trying to erase Lithuanian and other conquered cultures with such things as Banning the local language and books.

This film shows us that the Russians were not much better than the Nazis when it came to concentration/labor camps. Without spoilers, it's heartbreaking and horrible what they did to millions of people from the 1930s to the 1950s. I have Lithuanian family who were deported to Siberia and not released for 15 years! Watching this you will understand what they say and so many went through.

who is this girl?

[alon-dar1 · 6/10 · 13 January 2019]

Very very weak explanation to who is this girl, ok, girl who likes to draw, suffers, a lot less than most people actually, and that's about all there is to it. what did she actually do to have a movie made about her? who knows? she did some drawings, as girls do. for 1 minute she talked to an officer, and yes, that is about it. the whole excuse for this movie. I lived years in Lithuania, never heard her name. you do see some suffering, and to be honest, knowing how many Jews these Lithuanians butchered just for fun - i do not care about the little suffering they had from the russians. all in all, a very boring story, without any meaning, 3 stars would be sufficient - but i guess i have a soft heart.

A Siberian work camp and worse

[phd_travel · 6/10 · 2 February 2019]

The is a movie about a Lithuanian girl and her mother and Brother sent to a Siberian work camp. A starts like a Holocaust movie but not quite - with the train and some horrors but they weren't at a death camp. Things get worse when they are sent to the Artic circle.

Bel Powley is surprisingly good and suited to the role. She looks pretty miserable.

Illuminating look at the suffering of Baltic people in WW2.

may our harsh reality illuminated by art .

[AnthonyMeg · 7/10 · 19 January 2019]

True Inspiring story, dates back to the existing days of the Soviet Union, it demonstrated the cruelty of the totalitarian regime under ruthless Stalin, the film shed a light on middle class family that been driven out of their home later got separated out and the hardship they underwent and how art help the protagonist carry off the difficulties of that time so basically it's about the power of art

A tribute to Lithuanian War Sufferers

[pietclausen · 7/10 · 13 January 2019]

A difficult, but necessary movie to watch. Not only German troops deported people from invaded countries during the second World War, but Russian troops did likewise. This movie tells of the suffering endured by Lithuanian people who were taken away in railway cattle trucks to far away Siberia, where many did die of hunger and exhaustion, having to work in slave camps.

This touching and horrifying story seen thru the eyes of a young girl, is mostly unknown to us living in the western world.

The evil that nations do is cluttered throughout history and still carries on today.

Baltic Schindler's List

[KulliKaljulind · 10/10 · 29 November 2018]

Without giving out the spoilers, it's not possible to say much. But look, I was sitting in the packed cinema hall and I had to sniff again when one of the bad guys started to smoke as I could smell the tobacco burning. And then, when there was a snowstorm, it felt like they turned the heating off. That's a first for me. Yes, it is close to home - I'm Estonian, so the scenario was the same in my country as it was in Lithuania. And in Latvia. And in Ukraine, and so on. Just replace the nazis SS with the communists NKVD and you get it why I referred to the Schindler's List. Brilliant acting, brilliant cinematography, everything worked really well together. Thanks! Please indulge yourselves and get some real cinema experience.

Good drama

[npjy83 · 7/10 · 17 January 2019]

Based on true events, the story is well written, and heartbreaking in some scenes. Good movie if you are in the mood of watching a drama. No Blasphemy in the movie and very few swear words in Lithuanian.

Yes, we can't have enough of these reminders but this is just an insipid tale

[shanx24 · 3/10 · 12 January 2019]

No issues against the repeated stories related to Holocaust-ish themes. Humans learn very little as heinous bigotry-riddled genocide continues even today. But one hopes directors could find themes that at least have a plot that intrigues people, or something in the story to hold interest. This one is likely a good tale that will tug at your heartstrings if you're from a Russia-dominated country in the eastern bloc, but sorry, as a film this is vapid. So many threads could have gone places. They turn out to be nothing-burgers. A documentary tale of suffering in harsh winter. Even if you find this worth watching for it's long duration, no way is this 7.8 rating (as of this writing). Over time I suppose it'll correct itself to a 6 or so.

Heartbreaking story

[morozanzelika · 10/10 · 1 November 2018]

A story of Lithuania, or other Baltic states is usually unseen, somewhere in the sidelines. Howeve this movie brings it forward and it's captivating, also cinematographically very beautiful. Could not hold back tears during the movie, but would watch it again and definitely recommend it. I hope this movie reaches the attention it deserves.

Interesting movie, so I wonder about film critics sometimes

[cbarcinap · 7/10 · 16 March 2019]

There are a myriad ways any art form may approach a given topic, like the impact of violence to humans and societies, and go from the local to the universal. This movie succeeds even if not perhaps brilliantly. I wonder, how many movies we've seen on the Vietnam, the II WW or the Gulf War from the perspective of US? And yet, a new one may draw our interest because it will depend on its angle and approach and the narrative or symbolic means to convey fear, horror, pain, humiliation, shame, rage, despair, etc. Sometimes I've heard young people from Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain complain about the amount of films or novels on themes of our traumatic recent pasts. For me, instead, any new film on the Spanish Civil War or the dictatorship is welcome, though there is such a thing as the impact of collective conciousness, so it will and can never be the same. I cannot keep an emotional distance. I remember now having watched Hanna Arendt a year ago and being also impacted on the new concept of the banalization of evil and the old concept of collaboration to save your own skin. Again, probably not a great movie from a critic's perspective. I have seen this story on Lithuania's past under Soviet oppression with great interest. I have only seen a Estonian one so far, and I have Ikitie on my waiting list. I have also seen several films on Eastern Germany. All I can say is, more. I want to know more. Traumatic histories deserve to be told and no film critic should belittle them under the appearance of objectivity.

Not that good

[denisstojko · 5/10 · 11 January 2019]

Such a hard topic and they really didn't show us anything...wish they would make a better story.