Russian poet Akhmatova became the conscience of a generation under the brutal repression of Josef Stalin. This DVD offers a portrait of a beloved artist and a powerful examination of a violent era. Using rare film footage, interviews, diary entries, and photographs, director Semyon Aranovich examines the heart of Akhmatova and the soul of this era in which Anna's poem "Requiem" became the underground anthem for suffering millions. Also included is footage of her 1966 funeral. The film also offers interviews and commentaries on Akmatova's friends and contemporaries, including Boris Pasternak (Dr. Zhivago), Vladimir Mayakovsky, and Mikhail Sostchenko.