Zvenigora (1928) DVD

For centuries invaders have coveted the treasures of Ukraine. And for centuries they have been guarded by Grandfather (Nikolai Nademsky - Earth). This mysterious treasure remains hidden at Mount Zvenigora eluding the often violent search conducted by Poles, Cossacks and Germans in the course of centuries. In the turbulent years of the twentieth century, the treasure is sought by his descendants in the hope of recovering a past in danger of being lost. A 'cinematographic poem', Zvenigora moves from past to present, combining reality with fantasy. It conveys the spirit of Ukrainian history, its transition from a rural, agricultural society to the modern world of industrialization and its discontents.

Zvenigora was immediately recognized as a masterpiece by Sergei Eisenstein and V. I. Pudovkin. The most sensual and poetic of Soviet masters, Alexander Dovzhenko's unconventional vision and experimental style remained rooted in his love for his native Ukraine; its culture and its people. Zvenigora, his first major film, is his most joyous work.