Tomorrow Was the War

Tomorrow Was the War is a 1987 Soviet drama film directed by Yuri Kara based on the eponymous novella by Boris Vasilyev. The film was Kara's thesis at VGIK. Synopsis The film is set in 1940. Life in class 9b begins as usual. Children on the threshold of adult life get to know themselves, learn to love and understand each other. The story is centered around Iskra Polyakova – class prefect, daughter of principled party worker comrade Polyakova. Iskra is a self-assured Komsomolka who was brought up by a fanatically devoted to the party mother. Her ideals are inviolable and the concepts seem clear-cut and correct to her. Gathered at the birthday party of one of her classmates, Iskra listens to the verses of Sergei Yesenin which are read by her friend Vika, daughter of the town's famous aircraft designer Leonid Lyuberetsky. Iskra likes Yesenin's poetry, but she considers him an alien to Soviet culture "tavern singer." This was how she was taught. Vika gives her classmate the book and explains to Iskra, that Yesenin was not a 'decadent' poet and that feelings are an integral part of life. Several days pass. Iskra meets the father of Vika, begins a deeper understanding of some things, asks her mother and herself questions, tries to understand the concepts of justice, duty and happiness. The school's existence takes its natural course: the children study, fall in love with each other. Even Iskra accepts courting of former classmate Sasha Stameskin whom Lyuberetsky hired at his factory. But everything changes suddenly. One evening, the teens learn that designer Lyuberetskiy was arrested on suspicion of subversive activities against the Soviet Union. Iskra decides to support her girlfriend, despite her mother's warning of impending repression. The school head teacher Valentina Andronovna calls Lyuberetskaya into the office and says that tomorrow at the school line she should publicly renounce her father and call him an "enemy of the people." Vika refuses. After that, "Valendra" invites Polyakova to office and asks her to convene a meeting, having expelled Luberetskaya from the Komsomol with disgrace. Iskra declares to the head teacher that she will never do this and faints from over-excitement. The school principal takes the girl into the medical office and praises her for the manifestation of humanity.