Ivan is twelve years old when war steals his childhood. He is a scout in a military unit and traverses forests, ruins, and front-line zones. He is sent across enemy territory, memorizes positions, delivers information, and returns alone. The officers surrounding him are unable to save him but continue to rely on him, uncertain where protection ends and necessity begins. Ivan is adamant about staying at the front and refuses to be evacuated or protected, owing to his one-minded determination, which leaves him with little room for doubt or rest. Ivan’s Childhood was Andrei Tarkovsky’s debut feature film that immediately stood apart from conventional war narratives. Based on a short story by Vladimir Bogomolov, it depicts Ivan's travels through active combat areas and temporary shelters in the rear areas. Realistic military action is interspersed with scenes that slow the action and change the film's attention. Ivan's Childhood displays an early concern with issues that would preoccupy Tarkovsky in his later works: issues of memory, time, and perception through the stark black-and-white images of Vadim Yusov's cinematography.