Battalion (2015 film)

Battalion (Батальонъ, Batal'on) is a 2015 Russian war film directed by Dmitry Meskhiev that relates the story of the First Battalion of Death, a women-only Russian combat unit that fought in the First World War. Actress Mariya Aronova plays the role of real-life heroine Maria Bochkareva. Battalion was the biggest winner at the 2015 Golden Eagle Awards, winning four awards out of nine nominations.

Plot
In the Spring of 1917, following the February Revolution, Russian troops fighting in the First World War are heavily demoralised. Military commanders decide to create a battalion of enthusiastic women volunteers, led by Maria Bochkareva. After basic military training, the women are sent to the front.

Cast

 * Mariya Aronova as Maria Bochkareva
 * Maria Kozhevnikova as Natalia Tatishcheva
 * Marat Basharov as Alexander Kerensky
 * Irina Rakhmanova as Froska
 * Yanina Malinchik as Dusya
 * Yevgeny Dyatlov as Tseplyaev
 * Valeria Shkirando as Vera Neklyudova
 * Dmitry Shevchenko as Peter Polovtsov
 * Vladimir Zaytsev as General Alekseev
 * Mila Makarova as Tonya

Release
Battalion led the number of nominations at the 2015 Golden Eagle Awards. It lost Best Motion Picture to Anna Melikian's Pro Lyubov, but nevertheless won 4 awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Maria Kozhevnikova, Best Music Score, Best Editing and Best Sound Editing.

In March 2016, a longer version of the film, split into 4 episodes, was broadcast on Russian television.