The Birds of Our Youth

On the edge of a Moldovan village lives a wise old and infinitely lonely Aunt Ruta. She is always eager to help her fellow villagers, to cheer them up, to give them useful advice. It was not easy for her to forgive a long-standing offense, but she finds the strength to forget it and visits her dying relative to ease the last hours of his life.

Directed by Ion Ungureanu, Boris Ravenskikh, I. Gerasimova, The Birds of Our Youth leans on a strong ensemble — Valeriy Nosik, Rufina Nifontova, Vitali Doronin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about tv movie titles of 1974.