Tarkovsky poetically depicts the unconscious/semiconscious reminiscences of a character confined temporarily to his bed by illness. In an oblique, keenly poetic approach that finds no equal in modern cinema, the film juxtaposes nostalgic visions of the director’s childhood in war-torn exile (seen as hypnotic, slow-motion dream sequences) with stark World War II newsreels. Highly personal yet visually captivating, this film consists of non-linear series of visions and associations that utilize powerful visual symbolism and fascinating camera work.