SPRING IN THE FOREST

Dir. Leida Laius. 1973.

Estonia. 89 min.

Estonian with English subtitles.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 - 7:30PM
MONDAY, MARCH 9 - 10PM
SATURDAY, MARCH 21 - 10PM
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 - 10PM

Based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Veera Saar, UKUARU follows Minna (Elle Kull), a tough working woman who refuses a marriage proposal by a wealthy man in favor of her boyfriend Aksel (Lembit Ulfsak), who has little to offer her apart from his love and his beloved accordion. Poverty doesn’t bother Minna, but when forces outside her village threaten her family, she is forced into action.

In addition to a strong lead performance by Kull, UKUARU is notable for its playful score by Arvo Pärt. Aksel first enchants Minna with the “Ukuaru Waltz” on his accordion, a piece that repeats throughout the film as a life-affirming auditory motif. The song became widely popular in Estonia and has been rearranged many times.