Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

Created by: Ricky Wilson
Last modified: 2004-04-06
Location: http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/~tales/film/shadows.html

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

Background Information

Palagna has married Ivan, who is still madly in love with the woman who murdered his father. This is causing serious complications, as Palagna wants to have children while Ivan is far too preoccupied to capitulate. At a loss for a solution, Palagna turns to sorcery in an attempt to curry divine favor.

Things to Watch For

1. The beads Palagna is carrying appear to be something akin to a Catholic rosary, but they are really pagan artifacts.
2. How does this clip illustrate the concept of dvoeverie (double-belief)?
3. What are the implications of the sorcerer? What does this say about Ukrainian peasant belief in the supernatural (similar to the Russian belief system in this case)? Remember, this film is supposed to be relatively realistic.
4. Notice the symbolic elements of the sorcerer turning away the storm and the tree catching fire the moment Palagna's skirt flies up.