Pavlo Hlazovyi

A gem from Paradjanov's early oeuvre is a musical agitation film or a romantic comedy, made by the young director under the guidance of Alexander Dovzhenko and set in the immense fields of the collectivised Ukraine. The social realism is replaced by colourful, convivial and dancing shots of the “Pabieda” (Victory) kolkhoz, where peasant women sing in the fields, and boys march with banners glorifying revolution. Against this backdrop, intense romantic feelings have reached a climactic stage; tailor Sidor Sidorovich, farmer Jushka and soldier Danila Petrovich all dote on the fair-haired Odarka. It is Jushka and Danila who engage in overt hostility; the initial “gentlemen’s” contest turns into an outright confrontation, resulting in miserable Jushka being increasingly more desperate and scorned by the villagers.

The forest is a home to many animals, and they each have their own worries. Thus, a bear has to look after an apiary to collect honey, a bunny likes to dance, frogs and fish swim in the pond. Suddenly the idyll gets broken because of the poisoned water, which can cause death to the river inhabitants. One of the fishes calls the editorial office with the hope that she would not get a refusal to help...

During the war, Tarapunka meets Galya, but their paths diverge. The war ends, Tarapunka finds a job as a traffic cop in Kyiv, and his friend Shtepsel becomes a theater technician. Galya comes there to perform. The paths of the heroes cross again, and the concert introduces new comedians to the world.