Wings (1966)

 Larisa Shepitko's "Wings"


What struck me most about Larisa Shepitko's 1966 film "Wings" is that it feels like a work coming from an aging direction. Given its subject matters involving aging, nostalgia, regrets, and and feeling out of touch and underappreciated from the current generation, "Wings" does not feel like the work of a director in her 20s. Of course, Shepitko is more prominently known for her 1977 film "The Ascent," but "Wings" is a beautiful debut that demonstrates her unique ability to communicate tone and feeling.

The film centers on a former fighter pilot, Nadezhda, who now spends her 40s living a quiet but unfulfilling life as the principal of a trade school. Once considered a hero of World War II, Nadezhda struggles to connect with the generation that follows her. Despite giving her time and energy for her public service, she is constantly met with derision from others. As she struggles to connect with others, she remembers her previous life as a fighter pilots, along with both the freedom and tragedy it brought.

I found "Wings" to be very emotionally moving and its themes existentially weary. Watching Nadezhda unable to feel any sense of connection with the people around her felt like small disappointments that only compounded until they felt unbearably heavy by the film's end. The themes are universal however - as we get older, we lose touch with new generations, daydream about past glories, and slowly are looked upon with more and more contempt. 



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