The Turin Horse

Black and white, 35 mm
Hungary, France, Germany, Switzerland, USA, 2011, 146 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

In 1889, while travelling in Turin, Friedrich Nietzsche threw his arms round a maltreated horse, he lost consciousness and then lost his reason. We know much about the philosopher’s fate and his demise. But what of the horse? The Turin Horse offers a perfect synthesis of the singular style of influential Hungarian solitaire Béla Tarr. Through his measured sequence of long shots, accompanied by suggestive music and focusing on inexpressive acting, Tarr builds up a beguiling atmosphere of timelessness which defies a positive outcome. Almost without dialogue, the film examines the necessity of human coexistence and, at the same time, the powerlessness of the human race when faced with major change. Here, meaning arises not through the characters’ dialogues, but through their actions and the semblance of calm that surrounds them. The film’s tension, then, stems not from the dynamic editing, but from the content and structure of carefully composed shots. "We brought the film to its logical conclusion,” says Ágnes Hranitzky, the director’s editor and life partner. For his part, Tarr declared this film to be his last.

About the director

Béla Tarr (b. 1955, Pécs, Hungary) is one of the most original directors around today. From works highlighting social issues, he moved towards spiritual films whose style, defined by long, sweeping shots, earned him worldwide acclaim. Films such as Satan’s Tango (Sátántangó, 1994) and Werckmeister Harmonies (Werckmeister harmóniák, 2000) are regularly screened at the world’s most prestigious festivals. Tarr works with a permanent team of film professionals that include his partner, co-director and editor Ágnes Hranitzky, composer Mihály Vig, and author and co-screenwriter László Krasznahorkai. This same group was also involved in The Turin Horse, which won the Jury Grand Prix and the FIPRESCI Prize at this year’s Berlin IFF.