In 1943, the Soviet film "The Defeat of the German Troops near Moscow" was awarded the American Academy Award for "Best Documentary." In the U.S., it was shown under the title "Moscow Strikes Back." Filming began in November 1941, in the midst of the battle for the capital, under Stalin’s personal order. The Soviet leader aimed to use the film to boost the morale of the troops and the people. Cameramen were attached to various armies, joining soldiers in attacks and often dying in battle, but managing to capture valuable footage. People worked in 30-degree below zero temperatures and stayed awake for days. The film depicted both the defensive stage of the Battle of Moscow and the Soviet troops’ transition to a large-scale counteroffensive. The famous parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941, in honor of the 24th anniversary of the October Revolution, was also filmed, with soldiers heading straight to the front. Stalin’s speech from the tribune of Lenin’s mausoleum during that parade could not be filmed. Later, in the St. George Hall of the Kremlin, he repeated his speech specifically for the film. Stalin personally reviewed the footage. He ordered the reduction of the propagandistic narration and requested that the most horrifying scenes be accompanied by Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. The film premiered in the USSR on February 18, 1942, and later found success in Allied countries. In the U.S., 16 million people watched it. Due to metal rationing, Oscars at the time were made of plaster. After the victory, they were supposed to be replaced with gold-plated ones, but because of the Cold War, the Soviet award remained plaster. Today, it is kept in the Film Museum in Moscow.