Dyuishen is assigned to the mountainous Kirghiz region of Central Asia by the Young Communist League after he is discharged from the Red Army. It is 1923 and the Civil war has ended. The former soldier becomes a teacher, bringing the Leninist doctrine to the remote Moslem area where elders did not allow children to go to school. He falls in love with one of his students, but the young woman is sold by her father to a wealthy chieftain. When the school is burned down, the majestic poplar trees that are a source of local pride are cut down to rebuild the new structure.
Cast
Bolot Beyshenaliev
Dyuyshen, the school teacher
Natalya Arinbasarova
Altynai
Idris Nogajbayev
Narmagambet
Darkul Kuyukova
Koltynay
Kirey Zharkimbayev
Kartynbay
Klara Yusupzhanova
Unknown
Asanbek Kydyrnazarov
Unknown
Sovetbek Dzhumadylov
Unknown
Iskender Ryskulov
Unknown
Medel Maniyazov
Unknown
Dzhumash Sydykbekova
Unknown
Kaliycha Rysmendieva
Unknown
Nasreddin Dubashev
Unknown
Baken Kydykeyeva
Unknown
Roza Tabaldiyeva
Unknown
Crew
Andrei Konchalovsky
Director, Screenplay
N. Rudakova
Script Editor
Chinghiz Aitmatov
Screenplay, Book
Boris Dobrodeev
Screenplay
Yeva Ladyzhenskaya
Editor
Georgi Rerberg
Director of Photography
V. Aristanov
First Assistant Director
Yu. Lyubimenko
First Assistant Director
A. Kirgizbaev
Assistant Director
I. Olshanetskiy
Assistant Director
M. Volovik
Executive Producer
I. Abdykulov
Executive Producer
Mikhail Romadin
Production Design, Costume Design
Vladimir Osherov
Camera Operator
A. Koshmuratov
Assistant Camera
Musa Abdiyev
Costume Design
V. Belyakova
Makeup Artist
Yevgeni Kashkevich
Sound Director
S. Katsenelenbogen
Sound Director
Boris Travkin
VFX Director of Photography
Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov
Original Music Composer, Conductor
Andrei Tarkovsky
Writers' Assistant
