'' Ivan 's Childhood '' tells the story of orphaned boy Ivan , whose parents were killed by the invading German forces , and his experiences during World War II . '' Ivan 's Childhood '' was one of several Soviet films of its period , such as '' The Cranes Are Flying '' and '' Ballad of a Soldier '' , that looked at the human cost of war and did not glorify the war experience as did films produced before the Khrushchev Thaw . In a 1962 interview , Tarkovsky stated that in making the film he wanted to " convey all his hatred of war " , and that he chose childhood " because it is what contrasts most with war . " '' Ivan 's Childhood '' was Tarkovsky 's first feature film . It won him critical acclaim and made him internationally known . It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1962 and the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 1962 . The film was also selected as the Soviet entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 36th Academy Awards , but was not accepted as a nominee . Famous filmmakers such as Ingmar Bergman , Sergei Parajanov and Krzysztof Kieślowski praised the film and cited it as an influence on their work
36th Academy Awards
36th Academy Awards
Ivan's Childhood