I recommend to check out - Soviet-made movies about WWII, made after the war.
No joke. Most of them are propaganda movies, yes, but there are a few most beautifully shining gems of a most fragile visual language and deep humanity. When germany was still devided, we got Eastgerman TV programs as well, and there they broadcasted many Soviet movies. Mostly it was bad propaganda, but occasionally they showed extraordinary good, beautiful movies. Unfortunately, I cannot remember names and titles, I have some scenes and some films on mind that I never forgot and that still touch me today, but I cannot attribute them to a title or director. Too bad. You need advise from somebody knowing.