In occupied Romania toward the end of World War I, an idealistic young newsboy and a seedy con man are caught in a roundup by Austro-Hungarian troops but manage to escape together. This film details the picaresque adventures of the odd couple as they wander through the ashes of the Austro-Hungarian empire from village to village, where they are both evidence of and witness to the ravages of war. Based on the novel Deadly Game by leading contemporary writer Zaharia Stancu, the film depicts their journey as a “game of chance,” in which they manage to live every moment while surrounded at all times by danger. Splendid performances by the two leads and stylish direction by Andrei Blaier make Through the Ashes of the Empire on one level a warm human comedy, entertaining and never sentimental; and on another, a deeply philosophical parable on humankind's desperate fight for survival under any conditions.