Once In The Desert

Set in Syria, this war drama follows a specialized explosives disposal team tasked with clearing mines and booby traps from the ancient city of Palmyra. The operation is necessary to secure the site and surrounding roads for a symbolic peace concert. As the team advances toward the city center, they encounter increasingly dangerous explosives and face threats from militants. Internal friction develops between the unit's young captain and a veteran expert, but this conflict is set aside when the captain disappears following an enemy ambush, prompting the experienced sapper to search for him.

Directed by Andrey Kravchuk, this project is the third in a chronological sequence of his feature films, following Admiral and Viking, and preceding Rise of the Empire. The film was written by Arif Aliev and produced by Alexey Uchitel. It was produced in Russia by several companies, including Rock Films and the Cinema Fund. Audience reception is mixed, with the film holding a 5.6 rating on IMDb based on 181,000 votes, while it has a higher score of 7 on TMDB from 29 votes.