Discoveries from Hungary World Cinema

In 1963 in Tihany, somebody addresses the writer Gábor Náday. He is reminded of a night drive in 1944 that saved his life. Painful memories start coming to Náday.

No equal signs of justice can be drawn between those who are accused of a crime, those who are convicted of a crime and those who are the true offenders. That triangle always contains the accused who are not guilty and true offenders whose guilt cannot be ultimately proven. Throughout history, one of the greatest deviations in the strive towards equality has occurred in the triangle of guilt in sexual crimes, where guilt is largely proven on the basis of a woman’s will.

On the outskirts of Budapest, in the heart of the woods, hides a ramshackle little hut. Inside, two social outcasts have formed the unlikeliest of bonds: Fanni, a 19 year-old transgender teenager, and Laci, a 60 year-old homeless man. Together, they form a cantankerous, convivial, makeshift family life, supporting each other as father and daughter through hardship and change. Life is tough, but it is theirs. Set on the margins of Hungarian society, this is a film about perseverance, finding home, and the triumph of acceptance.

The family travels to Zebegény for their holiday, and the following day the seventeen-year-old Vera also leaves for Lake Balaton to pick peaches in a voluntary camp there. Her boyfriend, Gyuri, goes to a film shooting. Gyuri would like to make the best of the day in the absence of parents, but Vera refuses him. She becomes jealous at once, however, when she discovers Gyuri's previous girlfriend in the shooting team.

The different, and equally acceptable, according to circumstances, way of life of five people.

On the Spring of 1945 the Jackson circus is heading towards the border with the clown Peti and Aida, the elephant. They have to play for the Hungarian Fascists, while Peti is hiding the Jew Annuska and Sanyika.

Felix, a thirty-something furry is still living with his mother. His life changes dramatically when gets his dream job, where he needs to wear his Fursona costume. This opportunity helps him leave his mother’s tyranny behind and start a new life with an understanding partner, who appreciates his uniqueness.

Eszter, her husband Farkas, and their five-year-old son Bruno are paid an unexpected visit in the middle of the night. Eszter’s sister Ernella, her husband Albert and daughter Laura have returned from a year spent in Scotland where, contrary to expectations, they weren’t able to settle down. It soon becomes clear that the two families had never really been in tune with one another.

Imagine one of the most remote wildernesses in the world. Granddaughter Masha and Vladimir, the protagonists of this story from Central Siberia try the impossible to keep their nomadic traditions alive.

By the notes of Fiáth Pompeiusz, the one-time friend of Kapa and Pepe, Professor Szirtes has solved the secret of the time machine, and he realizes the invention relying on "special" H2O. Kapa and Pepe shall return by it into the past in order to set time right, which is out of joint, that is, to correct history, to save King Louis II, and prevent the Mohács Disaster. Pepe yields to the not too tender persuasion to enter upon the great journey through time, dies and revives, and they arrive at the battlefield of Mohács in time. Kapa films the events. The Turks win and cut off the king’s, Pepe’s, head, still the Hungarians dictate the peace treaty. Kapa and Pepe want to return, they fill the time machine up with water from the well, yet it won’t start. Even so Kapa and Pepe hover over Budapest and quarrel.

A single mother’s adventure by the seaside leads her to recognise her unnecessary martyrdom for her disabled teenage daughter.

Concerning the Mátyás era in Hungarian history, during the reign of Matthias Corvinus (1443–1490), the film focuses on three eras of the king's life: the young Mátyás fights for the throne, the older Mátyás as king, and the fate of the royal crown and the royal heir after his death.

In May 1919 in a small rural town beside Salgótarján the local high society wants to get the power back with the leadership of dr. Máriáss, exploiting the outside attack launched against the Republic of Councils.

Klára moves out from her husband. Her friend, Ági, helps her. They make a total of seven turns by car. Although they take the same route there and back every time, each round is different. “January 2” is a realist story about a separation from the wife’s perspective with all the challenges she faces following this tough decision.

The Last Bohemian (Hungarian: Az Utolsó bohém) is a 1912 Hungarian film directed by Michael Curtiz. It was Curtiz's debut film as a director.

Another winner from Hungarian director Ivan Szekely (aka S.K. Seeley and Steve Sekely), A Nosty fiu Esete Toth Marival was released in English-speaking regions as I Married for Love. Feri Noszty (Paul Javor) is a handsome but irresponsible Hussar officer who prefers a life of wine, women and song to his military responsibilities. Unwilling to bow to family pressure, Feri refuses to marry heiress Mary Toth (Eva Szorenyi) for her dowry alone. But Mary falls in love with the prideful Feri, and to win his affections she poses as her own poverty-stricken maid. Based on a novel by Kalman Mikszath, A Noszty Fiu Esete Toth Marival was filmed simultaneously in Hungarian- and German-language versions.

The seeming hopelessness of combatting an all-powerful government that will not tolerate political dissension is the focus of this excellent historical drama set in the mid-19th century in Hungary. In the opening scenes, Hungary has just lost its bid for independence from Austria and a Magyar officer, unable to bear the tragedy of defeat and what it means, says an affectionate good-bye to his beloved horse and then shoots the animal and himself. Two years later, Ferenc (Gyorgy Cserhalmi) is trying to eke out a living for his wife and her family -- and at the same time avoid any hint of sympathy for Hungarian independence because the Secret Police are everywhere. Just as life seems to be going well, Ferenc's former commanding officer (Lajos Oze) arrives and begins discussing revolution again -- a futile pursuit at this point in time. The next day, Ferenc is thrown into an insane asylum and everyone else is arrested as well.

A portrait film in which the actors often employed by Fehér (Ferenc Kállai, Péter Haumann and Ildikó Bánsági, respectively) testify with love and respect about the artist's creative method and his pursuit of perfection.

The guard of the pond announces to Niklai, the president of the Mezőháti farmers' cooperative, that the agronomist Deczki has shipped one hundred and twenty kilos more fish than the amount on the waybill. The management decides to transfer the agronomist.

Two identical twins live a completely different life and see each other in quite different perspectives.

1934, Germany. The ten-year-old Peter lives in a small town with his parents. His father, an underground Communist, is arrested. In the summer vacation the kids from the neighbourhood fight in two teams, which prevail in turns. One team, led by Ewald, imitates the Nazis, while the other, headed by Fritz, follows his Communist father's example.

A man meets a girl, sitting on a bench in the park. He imagines ways that he can impress her. But will he make the good impression when he gets the chance?

Widely known in the village how miser Berta is. Gossip says, even when her husband passed away a year ago she tried to buy a second-hand coffin to get him buried in. She's in good physical condition compare to her age, but one day she just can't get out of her bed. The village council hire a mom of 3 in order to help her in and around the house, and she paid by the council as Berta act like she has no money. Once, when the young mom doing her bed she finds her secret savings there, and turns out she is a wealthy woman. Now the council, as she can not be on social, decides to use her savings to pay her help, of course without letting her know that.

1918 Hungarian silent film.

October, 1956. Colonel lieutenant Szabó sends a platoon with the mission of calming the people demonstrating in the town. The platoon is lined up under the command of Lieutenant Csendes and the soldiers aim at the demonstrators. Szusza Kis changes sides, and Csendes is unable to shoot at his childhood mate. They withdraw.

The relationship of István Kozár and his wife has reached the point where neither is prepared to hear even a single word from the other. The woman travels to the countryside because she needs a little time by herself. The next morning the police inform the man that his wife has died. István, who has fantasized on more than one occasion about strangling the woman, soon finds himself being investigated by detectives who expect a confession from him.

​A young doctor named Zoltán flees Budapest for his father’s rural estate after performing an illegal abortion on his lover that results in her death. While hiding in the countryside, he attempts to grapple with his guilt and the moral weight of his actions while reconnecting with his estranged family. His isolation is interrupted by a burgeoning relationship with a local woman, Mira, which forces him to choose between permanent escape or facing legal and ethical accountability.

Small town girl Eszter adores her husband, Zoltán. He doesn't know Zoltán is having an affair with Alizka, until the woman moves in to their apartment.

This short doc was made during Béla Tarr's Masterclass under his mentorship. The film follows a day in the life of a Roma family in rural Hungary. It focuses on the children, who are raised by their grandparents. From morning until the sun goes down, and a new day begins. And life goes on, just the same.

A five-person shoot quickly turns into a terrible nightmare.

András and Juli meet at a desperate moment in their lives, when they have both made a difficult decision, the consequences of which they cannot bear alone. András, a talented but heavily addicted programmer, decides to end his career, while Juli, a budding actress, has left her husband and temporarily her daughter to rethink her life. The two move in together and lock themselves in Andrew's apartment, where he enters his umpteenth detox, while Juli tries to help him with patience and love. In the weeks that follow, they explore the deepest depths of human existence, a hell of fear and humiliation, of physical and mental suffering. The hope of healing can mean new possibilities in the lives of these two men.

1982, Budapest. Two 18-year-old Hungarian boys think Hungary is boring so they decide to travel to Poland and have a real adventure. Their plan to escape to Sweden fails and they find themselves in a Polish prison.

The "sleepless years" in this propaganda piece by director Felix Marlassy occur on Csepel Island, an island south of Budapest that is home to an armaments factory. The factory workers are shown being exploited by imperialists, capitalists gone berserk, and fascists, more or less in that exact chronological sequence. The heavy-handed approach does much to undercut the belief that when socialism finally takes over, the lives of the workers are brought up to a human level. In this instance, audiences might prefer a more nuanced and subtle statement, no matter what the message.

The story of an encounter that was legendary at the dawn of the Reformation. Calvin's weeks-long dispute with an "unknown Roman Catholic priest" turned the fate of Switzerland in history. The unknown priest was Ignatius of Loyola, later founder of the Jesuit order within the Church, and who was indeed on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the area. Both wanted to reform the religion of the time. Calvin from without, creating a new church, and Ignatius of Loyola from within. Both agreed that the Church of Rome at the time was utterly depraved, with popes and bishops unashamedly enriching themselves and lusting, selling penitential cults, never having relics of saints, and all of these things had reduced the Roman Church to an unprecedented low. The two protagonists rise up against this, each with his own means.

The investigation of the melon affair, to remain undisclosed for thirty years, is led by Major Piroska Szabó, the secret girlfriend of Mr. Kálmán, the boss, with a charge against the policemen Lajos Endúros and Richard Wagner. Sitting on the terrace of their favourite snack bar, the two policemen, along with Sergeant-Major Badár, take an oath not to testify against each other, and to mislead the authorities by giving false evidence.

Pál Völcsöky comes home from Sweden to get his uncle's heritage, the castle. The valet, Joachim informs him that all members of the Völcsöky family have a right to spend two weeks of honeymoon here.

The corrupt leaders of a small rural town learn that an auditor is coming from St Petersburg. Frightened, they try to put things in order. Hlesztakov, a Petersburg official, has been starving for days in his inn in the small town, having gambled away all his money and no credit. In a misunderstanding and a bit of backstabbing, the town's corrupt leaders mistake him for an auditor. The bureau chiefs are watching his every move, and the mayor's daughter is a hit. When he leaves, the whole town celebrates and expects him back for a wedding. But a letter reveals the fraud, and at the same time the real auditor arrives.

The story of a childless Jewish couple in WWII-era Hungary who adopt a Hungarian boy and raise him with their values and traditions.

Are you lonely? Are you heartbroken? Do you need a hug? Sorry. We can’t help you. I know, that sucks. But sucking is the new awesome. So our inability to help you out in the hug department really just makes us more awesome. The world is a strange place, it’s true. But if there’s any consolation we do have some recompense to offer you. Here you will find the feeling of being hugged by skaters Louie Barletta, Cairo Foster, Caswell Berry, Nestor Judkins, Wieger Van Wageningen, Jimmy Carlin, Jose Rojo, Clark Hassler, Zack Wallin and Ben Raemers. All of these lovable fellows have destroyed themselves in the process of filming the new enjoi video, Oververt, and they’ve been tending to their wounds with much needed hugs. Now you can join them. Relax. Take a deep breath. Bring it in. Bring it in, fellas.

The famous woman singer is touring the country. Following the advice of the chamber maid in the hotel, she counts the corners of the windows in her room to have all her dreams come true. The next day she wakes up, frightened of the prospect of her bad dream, which was full of scandals and chases, and finally a marriage, come true.

The two main characters of this ironic account of the general condition of intellectuals are the charming psychologist, Korin György, and the unexpected. Korin starts a television series of people in their 40s. In the afternoon just after the first section, however, he is reported to be dead as a result of a rather strange accident. Everything turns upside down.

Regnum Fest is a documentary that examines reenactors dedicated to preserving the traditions of the Hungarian conquest and the Árpád era, showcasing various groups that recreate life from the 10th to the 13th centuries. The leaders of these groups share insights into their work in historical reenactment and armed combat, both on foot and horseback.

This is the story of the water spider, which, unlike land spiders, does not weave its web in the corners of rooms or in the tops of trees or bushes, but in the water.

A typist girl who is under the influence of nervous breakdown walks out to the street stark naked from the office she works in. A young physician goes by accidentally and tries to help her, spreading his coat over her nude body. From this moment his life changes completely.