Tale of Tales consists of ephemeral, seemingly abstract, sequences which ruminate on war and mimic the working of human memory. Norstein’s naive and whimsical characterisations individualise and make potent social sorrow. The half hour animation is not focused on scenes of conflict, but on the changes wrought on domestic life. Particular emphasis is placed on the enormous losses the Soviet Union suffered during World War Two (or the Great Patriotic War) and the collective trauma of consciousness. This meditation on war and memory is widely regarded as the best animation of all time.