 But his real breakthrough happened with the 1961 drama film When the Trees Were Tall that introduced such actors as Yuri Nikulin, Inna Gulaya, Lyudmila Chursina and Leonid Kuravlyov in their first serious roles.While not as successful with Soviet viewers at the time of release, it turned into a cult classic with years.In 1962 it was also selected for the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.