The Stone Cross

In the 1890s, Ivan, a Galician peasant, resolves that emigration with his family is the only way out of crushing poverty. He envisions a fresh start in Canada and contemplates how to provide for his wife and children. The decision marks a drastic break from his homeland.

On the eve of Ivan's departure, a thief breaks into his house, turning a quiet night into fear. The village gathers to decide the thief's fate, and the judges sentence him to death while debates about his origins and poverty unfold. The event spirals into a moral debate about justice and mercy.

Ivan hosts a farewell party that resembles a funeral for him and his family, signaling the end of their old life. The mood is heavy, yet the gathering underscores their bond before the journey. The departure to Canada is framed as the closing of a chapter.

In his memory, Ivan carves a stone cross on a hill overlooking the village. The cross stands as a personal monument to remember him and his family long after they leave. It becomes a symbol of memory and farewell.

A broader conversation unfolds among the audience and the house owners about the appropriate punishment for the thief. They question why his crime, born of poverty, should be punished so harshly, revealing a moral tension in the community. The debate weighs justice against mercy.

The thief grows bolder but eventually accepts whatever punishment awaits him. He bids farewell to Ivan and even kisses his hand, showing a readiness to face death. The moment signals a grim resignation to the consequences of his crime.

The owners drag the thief out of the house, despite his apparent willingness to accept death. The act seals the moment as a grim closure to the moral dilemma. The scene casts a pall over the plans for departure.

Ivan worries that, like the thief, he might vanish from memory once he leaves. He resolves to leave a lasting mark by his cross and by taking his family away from the village. The departure becomes a statement against oblivion.

Ivan brings the memory of years spent tending the mountain to the departing farewell, leading the villagers to the slopes he cared for. After descending, he says goodbye to his fellow villagers, marking the final farewell from the homeland. The mountain serves as a symbolic threshold between life there and the journey ahead.

Relatives and neighbors gather on the hill and in the square as Ivan's adult sons arrive. Some reproach him for leaving, while others acknowledge the harsh realities that forced his choice. The mood is mixed, but the gathering reinforces his decision.

Ivan muses aloud that people no longer need land, only money, and he laments the widening gap between rich and poor. The crowd promises to remember him and to honor his cross, however fragile memory may be. He frames his departure as a commentary on social change.

Disguised as his wife and sons in suits, Ivan tells the musicians to play a cheerful melody. The ruse seeks to turn sorrow into a brave, celebratory exit rather than a mournful goodbye. The spectacle underscores his resolve to face the world with dignity.

Before leaving, the village conducts a procession to the church, and the service sounds like a repose for the departed. The cart with his belongings appears like a coffin, adding a solemn weight to the ceremony. The ritual binds memory to tradition before the journey.

The family leaves together as Ivan disappears over the horizon. The fireplace cross stays behind as a poignant reminder of him and the life he chose to leave. The scene marks the crossing from homeland to the unknown future.