Aleksandr Kholodkov

A crafty swindler, appointed to be a coach of an amateur sports team, came up with a cheat plan for victory - secretly recruit a number of professional players to his team.

The events take place in one of the mines of Kryvyi Rih. Peter Chumak, after graduating from the institute, is appointed chief engineer of the mine. From the very first days of work Chumak initiates innovative methods of coal mining. The most fierce opponent of his proposals - engineer Alexei Zheleznyak. The confrontation of young specialists is complicated by the fact that Zheleznyak is the brother-in-law of Pyotr's wife.

Aviation school. Future officers of the jet squadron are engaged in practical studies. When performing a training assignment, cadet Korenyuk violates flight discipline. The instructor pilot, considering Korenyuk to be a talented cadet, forgives him for this offense. When, during another training flight, Korenyuk dives onto a fishing vessel, cadet Bukreev, who is in the cockpit, takes the blame. Bukreyev is arrested for ten days...

Heroes of Shipka was the first solo effort for Soviet director Sergei Vasilyev, who had previously collaborated with his late brother Georgi. As head of the Leningrad Film Studios, Vasilyev was obliged to traffic in propaganda, but he never forgot how to make his material entertaining. The film is set in 1887 during the pivotal battle between the Russians and the Turks at the Shipka Pass. Stressing the solidarity of the Soviet states, tribute is paid to the courageous Bulgarian volunteers who helped the Russians fend off their mutual enemy. American critics were impressed by Heroes of Shipka, but felt that the film would have been twice as effective had it been lensed in Cinemascope rather than "standard aspect."