Made in 1912, this film has become known as one of the greatest pieces of pre-Soviet cinema. The silent film tells the story of the Patriotic war of 1812 when Napoleon attempted to invade Russia. This joint French and Russian film sparked major excitement in Moscow at its premier screening and continues to entertain audiences throughout the world today. The 32-minute silent film was the point of origin for some of the more advanced camera techniques used today. Sirotin of the Voice of Russia said that, “The film is interesting to spectators even today and is frequently shown both in Russia and abroad.”

«Юбилейная историческая картина Отечественной войны в 4-х частях» — так гласит афиша. Марсельеза, «1812 год» Чайковского, военные марши — за экраном. На экране — длинный ряд картин с Наполеоном, Кутузовым, Ростопчиным и др. Режиссеры заметно тяготеют к известным картинам Верещагина из эпохи двенадцатого года, а «Военный совет в Филях» — точное воспроизведение картины Кившенко.