Tini zabutykh predkiv (Schatten vergessener Ahnen)

In Tini zabutykh predkiv, an old Ukrainian legend about an epic love story that varies the Romeo and Juliet motif is interwoven with the splendid and unusual customs of the shepherd peoples of the Carpathian Mountains in the 19th century. Ivan and Marichka have known each other since childhood and their love withstands all the bloody feuds between their feuding families. When Ivan leaves to earn money before the wedding, Marichka is struck by tragedy. Sergei Parajanov's colorful film breathes new life into the mystical past in all its wild beauty. With this extravagant cinematic interpretation, Parajanov suddenly achieved international fame, paving the way for his groundbreaking masterpiece Sayat Nova (The Color of the Pomegranate, 1969). (J.M.)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum