Blizzard of Souls
Dvēseļu putenis
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Movie poster
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| Country
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 Latvia
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| Directed by
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Dzintars Dreibergs
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| Release Date
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November 8, 2019
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| Language
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German
Latvian
Russian
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| Main Cast
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| Character
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Actor
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| Arturs Vanags
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Oto Brantevics
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| Edgars Vanags
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Raimonds Celms
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| Vanags
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Martins Vilsons
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| Mikelsons
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Jekabs Reinis
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| Konrads
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Gatis Gyga
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| Spilva
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Renars Zeltins
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| Sala
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Vilis Daudzins
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Blizzard of Souls, or also titled as The Rifleman, is a 2019 Latvian war movie directed by Dzintars Dreibergs and based on the novel of the same name by Aleksandrs Grīns. Latvia 1915, 16-year-old Arturs Vanags joins the Imperial Russian Army after losing his mother and home to war. But the hope of glory and the thrill of training is soon followed by the harsh reality of the battlefield. When the war seems to be coming to an end, there is a revolution in their own ranks. Arthur fights from now on in a brutal civil war, which puts the hoped-for peace and the liberation of his homeland again in the far distance.
The following weapons were used in the film Blizzard of Souls:
Revolvers
Nagant M1895
Latvian officers like Father Vanags (Martins Vilsons) and Sala (Vilis Daudzins) are seen using Nagant M1895. Both, the correct Imperial Russian and later produced Soviet variant, are seen.
Russian Nagant 1895, produced 1920s. The rounded front sight is a sign of revolvers produced from 1890s until 1930 - 7.62x38N
Nagant M1895 Revolver - 7.62x38R Nagant. This example was dated 1939 manufacture and was a Wartime issued weapon. Note the angular front sight which was used from 1930s.
Vanags gives orders to flank the sniper with his revolver in hand. This revolver has an early rounded front sight.
Pinned down by machine-gun fire, Edgars takes cover with his Nagant with the post-1930 angular front sight.
A closer view of Edgars' snowy revolver.
A Bolshevik officer with his drawn Nagant revolver.
Arturs fires a Nagant revolver during the bridge defense.
Rifles
Mosin Nagant M1891 Dragoon
Despite the fact, that Latvian troops during WWI were not equipped with the Dragoon rifle, it is widely used by them including Arturs Vanags (Oto Brantevics), Edgars Vanags (Raimonds Celms), Mikelsons (Jekabs Reinis) and Konrads (Gatis Gaga). But it is a more accurate choice than the M91/30 and Finnish M39 rifles seen in the first trailer.
Mosin-Nagant M1891 Dragoon Rifle - 7.62x54mm R
Arturs proudly inspect his just received Dragoon Rifle which allows a good view of the Konovalov sight.
He and other soldiers prepare their rifles to go over the top.
During the advance in the fog, Arturs shows his modern military trigger discipline what became a standard practice many years after WWI.
The front part of Mikkelsons' Mosin-Nagant as he and a German insult each other.
During marching, the bayonet is mounted upside down.
Latvian troops with their Dragoon rifles in Winter.
A Red firing squad takes aim at unwanted peoples.
Arturs offers a child his rifle.
Another child soldier aims his rifle at incoming German soldiers.
Mosin Nagant M1891 Infantry
The Infantry variant of the Mosin Nagant M1891 is also used by Latvian infantrymen.
Imperial Russian Mosin Nagant M1891 - 7.62x54mm
The second soldier from the left fires with other soldiers a salute salve.
A Bolshevik with his rifle over his back.
The same soldier with his Mosin-Nagant.
Mauser Gewehr 1898
Most German soldiers are armed with Gewehr 98s.
Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Two German solders at the mother's house with their Gewehrs.
A close-up of the
Seitengewehr bayonet that has missed Arturs.
A young German soldier encounters Arturs during close-combat.
The German soldier, called Hans, carries a Gewehr 98 over his back in a deleted scene.
Mauser Karabiner 98k
An anachronistic scoped Karabiner 98k is used by the German sniper and later by Arturs and his father. Some unscoped Kar98ks are also used by German and Latvian soldiers in mass scenes.
Karabiner 98k with S84/98 bayonet - 7.92x57mm Mauser.
An abandoned Kar98k with a fixed bayonet on the right.
A distant view through the tall grass of the sniper's Karabiner.
The caught sniper tries to fire a warning shot.
Vanags holds his camouflaged Kar98k covers Arturs' face with mud.
There are indentations on the buttstock, to show how many kills he got.
Arturs aims the carbine at a German soldier, who stands on top of the edge of the trench as a punishment.
Mauser Model 1938
What appears to be an anachronistic Turkish Mauser is briefly seen used by a child soldier.
Turkish Mauser Model 1938 - 7.92x57mm ("8mm Mauser")
The child soldier in center aims his Mauser. The front barrel is different from German Mausers.
Mauser Puška vz. 98/22
Post-war Vz. 98/22 Czech Mausers can briefly be seen used by German soldiers.
Czech BRNO Vz.98/22 Mauser - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Note the tengeat leaf sight...
... and the front barrel band.
Unknown Rifle
One German soldier can be seen with an unknown rifle in a deleted scene.
The soldier on the right points his rifle at Arturs; his mate to the left has the Czech Mauser.
Machine Guns
Maxim M1910
Maxim M1910s are used by Latvian soldiers.
Maxim 1910 with 'Sokolov' wheel mount, w/o shield - 7.62x54mmR
A PM 1910 on the barracks' rooftop is used to shoot at a German airplane.
Two child soldiers repeal a German attack with the Maxim.
Maxim MG08
Maxim MG08s on Dreifuß 16 tripods are used by German soldiers.
Maxim MG08 on 'sledge' mount - 7.92x57mm Mauser
A Maxim next to its badly wounded user.
Arturs takes a look at the dying soldier.
Maxim MG08/15
One German soldier hiding in a tree is armed with a Maxim MG08/15.
Maxim MG08/15 - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Shot and fallen from his tree, the dazed German keeps firing his MG 08/15.
Hand Grenades
Model 24 Stielhandgranate
Instead of accurate German stick grenades (Model 15, 16, 17), the post-war Model 24 Stielhandgranate is used.
Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" High-Explosive Fragmentation Hand Grenade
Arturs pockets an M24 taken from a dead German.
Later the next day, he takes it to toss it to Mikkelsons.
A Model 24 thrown by a German soldier in mid-air.
RG-14
Artus and other Latvians use RG-14 hand grenades.
RG-14/30 Soviet hand grenade (Model 1914/30 grenade)
On the left, Artus carries an RG-14 into battle.
Shorty after, he primes his grenade.
Other
Double Barreled Shotgun
A 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun hangs on a wall of the mother's home.
J. Stevens and Company Side by Side Shotgun (Circa 1878) exposed hammers and designed to fire Black Powder shotgun shells - 12 Gauge
The shotgun is seen hanging on the left side of the entrance.
A German officer checks the shotgun.
15 cm sFH 13
Schwere Feldhaubitze 13 howitzers are seen in a German position and on a Bolshevik train.
15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13
A line of sFH 13s in the German artillery position after the battle.
Romfell Armored Car
An Austro-Hungarian Romfell Panzerwagen supports German forces of the Eiserne Division (Iron Division) during the Latvian War of Independence in 1919.
The Romfell in the far distance; unlike the attack plane, it is not CGI but a replica.
Plane
A German CGI plane is seen two times.
The plane overflies Latvian positions.
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