Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964)

A timeless Carpathian story - the young Ivan falls in love with the daughter of his father's killer among the Hutsul people of Ukraine.

Director:

Sergei Parajanov (as S. Paradzhanov)

Writers:

Ivan Chendej (screenplay) (as I. Chendey), Mikhaylo Kotsyubinsky (novel)

Stars:

Ivan Mykolaichuk, Larisa Kadochnikova, Tatyana Bestayeva

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Ivan Mykolaichuk	...	Ivan Paliychuk (as I. Mikoaychuk)
Larisa Kadochnikova	...	Marichka Gutenyuk (as L. Kadochnikova)
Tatyana Bestayeva	...	Palagna (as T. bestayeva)
Spartak Bagashvili	...	Yurko Malfara (as S. Bagashvili)
Nikolay Grinko	...	Batag (as M.Grinko)
Leonid Yengibarov	...	Miko (as L. Yengibarov)
Nina Alisova	...	Paliychuk, maty Ivana (as N. Alisova)
Aleksandr Gaj	...	Paliychuk (as O. Gay)
Neonila Gnepovskaya	...	Gutenyuk (as N. Gnipovska)
Aleksandr Raydanov	...	Onufriy Gutenyuk (as O. Raydanov)
Igor Dzyura	...	Ivan v detstve (as I. Dzyura)
Valentina Glinko	...	Marichka v detstve (as V. Glyanko)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
O. Ryazanov

Storyline

In a Carpathian village, Ivan falls in love with Marichka, the daughter of his father's killer. When tragedy befalls her, his grief lasts months; finally he rejoins the colorful life around him, marrying Palagna. She wants children but his mind stays on his lost love. To recapture his attention, Palagna tries sorcery, and in the process comes under the spell of the sorcerer, publicly humiliating Ivan, who then fights the sorcerer. The lively rhythms of village life, the work and the holidays, the pageant and revelry of weddings and funerals, the change of seasons, and nature's beauty give proportion to Ivan's tragedy.

---

Plot Keywords:

oneiric | sorcerer | wedding | funeral | fight | 

---

Taglines:

A New Kind of Soviet Film...acclaimed around the world at all film festivals

---

Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

---

Details

Official Sites:

Parajanov-Vartanov Institute [United States]

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Ukrainian

Release Date:

18 October 1965 (Soviet Union)

Also Known As:

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

Filming Locations:

Ukraine

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dovzhenko Film Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 110 min (original uncut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Sovcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

---

Goofs

When the two children run down the hill to have a bath in the river, the entire camera rig, including the operator, can be seen in a shadow on the ground.

---

Connections

Featured in Paradzhanov (2013)

User Reviews

the most beautifullest thing i´ve ever seen

´Shadows´ is one of the best movies i´ve ever seen. The filming is so beautiful that it constantly makes you wonder how they did it, remind you, it was made in 1964. The way the lead characters feel is constantly expressed in color and camera movement, in a way i´ve never seen before. Notice how the colors are full in the first, happy part of the film, and how they get faded more and more to an almost black and white teint along with grief of Ivan, the male lead. At the end it turns to a blood red fury and then there is nothing but the dead. The folk music, with very poetic lyrics also contributes a lot to the sphere in this film. Again, i never saw something like that before, normally i hate folk music, now it fitted perfectly. And then the ending,it´s so sad, i almost cried my eyes out. What an archievement, it´s the most beautifullest thing i´ve ever seen.