The Earth Sings (1933)

A cinematic poem with an impressive soundtrack that complements and completes the cinematic sketches of the folk culture of the Slovak nation previously made by ethno-photographer and director Karel Plicka. With its perfectly constructed dramaturgy, the documentary follows the beauty of the natural cycle of the seasons and shows peasant life in an isolated village in the Carpathian mountains of Slovakia from the end of winter through spring and summer to the traditional harvesting methods of autumn. This creates a tribute to traditional culture and the secular connection between man and nature. The aesthetically extraordinary visual representation of folklore comes to life through the editing technique influenced by the Soviet avant-garde and is complemented by poetic intertitles by the Slovak poet Ján Smrek.