This exquisitely beautiful film uses simple but powerful means to tell a story of collectivization on a Ukrainian farm as it sets out profound and universal themes: the fruitfulness of the earth, its annual rebirth, life, love, and death. When a local kulak refuses to divide his land for a collective, a young villager (Svashenko) takes it for the people by force and turns it into a success. Despite the tragedy that ensues, the people sing songs of renewal as rain promises another cycle of life for the earth. Filled with sensuality, joy, and pain, Dovzhenko’s classic remains a stunning example of cinematic expression.