A “masterpiece” war film that’s hailed as “unforgettable” is streaming in the UK. Come and See (1985) is a Soviet epic historical anti-war drama set during the German occupation of Byelorussia (now Belarus) during World War 2.

The story is told from the perspective of Belarusian teenager Flyora (played by Aleksei Kravchenko) who joins a partisan unit fighting back against the invaders, bearing witness to atrocities carried out by Germany’s forces. It was directed by Soviet filmmaker Elem Klimov, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ales Adamovich, himself a member of a partisan unit. It’s based on Adamovich’s own 1971 novel, Khatyn, and on I Am from the Fiery Village, a collection of survivor testimonies to which he contributed.

The film gives an unflinching look at the horrors of war and is a notoriously tough watch. The Criterion Channel website describes Come and See as “perhaps the most visceral, impossible-to-forget antiwar film ever made”.

Fans have taken to IMDb to share the profound impact the war drama had on them.

One said it’s among “the greatest of all war films, Klimov’s stunning work stands amongst such works in which the horror and sorrow of conflict are made fresh over again for the viewer, left to stumble numb from the cinema thereafter”.

Another said it’s “one of the rare films that I can remember being emotionally drained upon its conclusion”.

“The expression on my face as I sat there watching the credits scroll by seemed as worn and broken as that of the protagonist, Florya.”

A third gave it a perfect score, hailing it as a must-see “masterpiece” about “the madness of war”.

*** Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***

A fourth said: “I wish this film had more acclaim. It’s right up there with many Great War films. The most truthful, raw portrayal of WWII to date,” calling it: “relentlessly miserable”.

A fifth said it’s the best war film ever, writing: “I have seen quite a few war films. However, this is the best portrayal of real war and it’s horrible consequences.

“The film does an amazing job-for example the main character look at his face expressions in the first 1/4 of the film compared to the last 3/4th of the film.

“What an amazing job of displaying the horrors of war and way ahead of its time.”

The film has a 15 certificate and contains strong violence and Holocaust footage – so viewer discretion is advised.

Come and See is streaming on Mosfilm’s YouTube channel. Mosfilm has been one of Russia‘s most important film studios for decades, and shares many acclaimed Soviet movies to watch free of charge.

It’s also available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.