wind poetry world war ii cigarette field spanish civil war (1936-39) forest flashback illness childhood memoirs somber memories terminal illness avant-garde historical drama 1940s 1960s non-narrative 1930s soviet union history existentialist 20th century experimental film nonlinear narrative biographical drama dreams nostalgia dying man post world war ii dream sequence newsreel footage nostalgic reflection poetry recitation russian history sepia color self reflection reflective portrait of an artist dreamlike russia stream of consciousness pre war soviet union russian poetry voice-over nostalgic memory the great patriotic war dying poet