We Were Smoke

The film is based on the plot of Georgy Nikolaev's short story 'Along the Path of the Indians'. Despite the presence of three actors (appearing as extras), the film contains no dialogue at all — only a musical score. Composed of disjointed fragments of newsreel footage and shot in the style of faded, yellowed film stock, it serves as a philosophical reflection on human life and one's actions in this world.

A pre-war Russian village. Two harmonica player friends are in love with the same girl. The rivalry of the characters unfolds against a musical background — who will outplay whom. The war begins. Both of them return from the war, but one of them can no longer play, which does not mean that he loses...