The longest siege during World War II was that of Leningrad, which lasted for 900 days. Comprised solely of rarely seen footage found in Soviet film archives, Blockade re-creates those momentous events through the sounds and the images of a slowly dying city.

This hypnotic documentary tackles a traumatic episode of WWII with exquisite craft and outstanding historical conscience. By using pre-existing footage and reconstructing the entirety of the soundtrack, Loznitsa seems to be resurrecting the memory of a country to otherworldly effect. An achievement.