In 1921, a year of famine, local agronomist Leonov discovered a few surviving ears of wheat in the sun-scorched fields of the Volga region. He saved the grains, but implementing the results of successful experiments with the seeds he found proved difficult. Bureaucracy, inertia and hostility from ‘experts’ hindered this implementation. It was only after a fierce struggle at the experimental demonstration station that the excellent qualities of Leonov's wheat were proven. The variety, known as ‘Albidum,’ was then widely recognised. They decided to export it, and Leonov went on a business trip abroad. The high quality of ‘Albidum’ opened the doors to the global market.
The film is based on the work of agronomist Nikolai Vavilov (named Leonov in the film), which was quickly challenged by the Soviet authorities. Vavilov was arrested in July 1941 and died in prison in 1943. He was rehabilitated in 1955. The film had limited distribution and quickly disappeared from screens. Only a small portion of the film has been preserved.
