Light Over Koordi
About Light Over Koordi
Red Army soldier Paul Runge returns to the Estonian village of Koordi after the war and finds rich farmers still pressing the poor. Former hands from the big Kurvest farm greet him. He marries Aino against the order of her father Vao, and the couple moves into the empty Kure farm. Party organizer Muuli divides land from the wealthy farms among new settlers, but the small holdings still fail. Runge and Muuli treat that failure as sabotage and begin talking of a kolkhoz. Threatening letters and attacks from the old masters follow.
Cast & crew
More about Light Over Koordi
Herbert Rappaport directed Yuri German's screenplay from Hans Leberecht's 1949 story. The Estonian film database lists a color 35mm print of 2,680 meters, running 93 minutes and 8 seconds. Premieres: 27 August 1951 in Tallinn and 25 October 1951 in Moscow.
Themes
Background
The story is set in an Estonian village during the postwar drive to form collective farms.
Making
Rappaport made the film in Estonian, with Lenfilm and the Tallinn studio sharing the production.
Look
Sergei Ivanov shot the film in color.
Music
Eugen Kapp wrote the score. Boris Kõrver wrote songs, including Tagasitulek, which Georg Ots sings. Ots also sings Venemaa, by Anatoli Novikov.
Preservation
The Estonian film database records a color 35mm preservation element, FA 4764. A copy is on Wikimedia Commons.
Notes
- Georg Ots plays Paul Runge, Valentine Tern plays Aino, Aleksander Randviir plays Vao, and Ilmar Tammur plays Muuli.
- Elmar Kivilo plays Semidor, Evi Rauer plays Roosi, and Hugo Laur plays Saamu.
- Arnold Kasuk plays Mihkel Kamar and Lembit Rajala plays Robert Kurvest.
- The Estonian title is Valgus Koordis. The Russian title is Свет в Коорди.
- The database also lists a Finnish opening on 26 June 1953.
Awards
- Stalin Prize, second class (1952), to Herbert Rappaport, Georg Ots, Aleksander Randviir, Valentine Tern, Elmar Kivilo, Evi Rauer, Hugo Laur, and Sergei Ivanov
Scenes
- Runge marries Aino against Vao's refusal and moves to the empty Kure farm.
- Threatening letters arrive after Runge and Muuli speak of a kolkhoz.
Influenced by
- Hans Leberecht's story Valgus Koordis (1949)
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (1951. Свет в Коорди.webm)
