Another sheer masterpiece after Pirosmani, it seems that now I have watched three consecutive films with strong connotations of attachment to one's homeland. The Stone Cross or Kamennyy Khrest, as it is better known, is an Ukrainian film made under USSR but it is nonetheless distinctively patriotic in the portrayal of the mountain farmers of native Ukraine. The story is about a farmer who decides to move to Canada, leaving his land and his people, and the cathartic battle he faces with himself regarding the decision. The film is deliberate at the start, slowly moving into strangeness and then exploding in a melee of regrets, memories, emotions and a sort of cultural poignancy. The cinematography is exceptional, lending a stark and intimidating tone to the visuals, and the camera-work is superb, using aerial zoom like a master to create haunting effects. The conclusive segment of the film almost attains spiritual heights through the emotional intensity of the occasion, and you as the viewer can really feel the anguish that one goes through while severing one's tie with his/her homeland. Facing a journey that has no certainty, leaving behind the very soil that fed your roots, it wasn't an everyday story then. For the religiously tethered and closely knit farmers, leaving the land signified something greater than we can probably fathom, it was more like losing a brother than a friend, and Daniil Ilchenko gives a flawless performance as Ivan, the one to have taken the decision. His desperate attempt to come to terms with himself is thrilling to watch as it unfolds. The whole movie sort of transports you into a time silo, painting a brilliant picture of life in the Pokuttia region and their emotionally rich, superstitious and intimate culture. A great film, even the ending shots are exceptionally beautiful and prophetic in nature. Very highly recommended.
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