I bought this on dvd a few years back and watched it immediately.  I watched it again last night and it had the same effect on me the second time round.

Some might argue it is Russian propaganda but it can't be argued that it isn't a powerful movie.  The story follows a young Belorussian called Florya who joins the Partisans in the fight against the Nazi's.  There is no hope and no happy ending in this coming-of-age movie as Florya suffers in every way possible.  

Some of the scenes are very disturbing but not always in a graphic way.  Eerie silent forests and then the contrast of a frightening bombardment.  Florya's deserted village and then the realisation of what happened to his family all shock.  His innocent face changes throughout the movie and he looks 10 years older by the end.

This isn't a battle heavy war film, in fact there is little action at all but it shows the effects on the civilian, the young and the old.  The long final sequence shows more shocking scenes of brutality and non more so than the fate of Glasha, his young female friend.

I've a copy of this somewhere. I've been meaning to give it another watch but it was a pretty harrowing experience the first time round.  Great film, told with brutal understatement as you watch this kid stumble around, reacting to one horror after another.  Got to give it credit for showing a far darker depiction of conflict than we generally see on film in the west. Would recommend it, though it certainly stays with you long after it's over.            

It's a film that just shows how awful war is.  There's no hero and no happy ending, just a 2 hour destruction of a young boys life.