Mari has successfully led a collective farm in 1950s and fulfilled all tasks given from the authorities. Nonetheless, things in the collective farm become progressively worse. The Committee of the Communist Party sends its representative Peeter who learns that Mari acts as a tyrant for the local people. She has to resign during the elections of the new manager. Being without authority has a damaging effect on her so she starts to regain her position with the help of her old stalinist tricks.
Acting
Dzidra Ritenberga's terrifying stillness as Mari.
Direction
Yeltsov's claustrophobic framing of Soviet power.
Director
Igor Yeltsov
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made during the Khrushchev Thaw, this Estonian film somehow criticized Stalinism while still getting Soviet approval—a magic trick of coded dissent.
Dzidra Ritenberga was so convincing as Mari that she received angry letters from collective farm workers who thought she was a real tyrant.
SU
