Komsomol, or Pesn'o geroyakh

This documentary follows the construction of a blast furnace, built by the Communist Soviet Youth Organization (Komsomol) at the farthest ends of the Ural mountains. It also tells about the growth of an illiterate shepherd, Afasaneev, who has left his job and home to join the construction site. Ivens became interested in the project during one of his trips to the USSR. “It was exactly what I was looking for: youth and steel”. Ivens’ working conditions were not easy owing to the Siberian climate, the muddy ground of the steppes, the language and the limited economic means. After three months the troupe moved to the heart of Siberia in order to film the coal mining for the furnace, which was now finished and would soon start its activity. For the first time the Dutch director followed the development of a character, laying the foundations for his personal style. At first Komsomol received a great deal of criticism because of Ivens’ innovative approach, but later this film, re-entitled The Heroes’ Song was appreciated and screened on the Revolution's 15th Anniversary. In 1982, at the age of eighty-four, Ivens underlined Komsomol’s importance once again. “It was definitely an Ivens film, a film about the way socialism was going in the USSR at the time. [..] The Heroes' Song is a film I fully subscribe to.”