District

Colour, 35 mm
Hungary, 2004, 90 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

This wild animation feature film made in Hungary, which is definitely not for children, offers a politically incorrect, rough vision of the contemporary world of former Eastern Europe via the microcosm of Budapest’s run-down 8th district with its bad reputation. The inhabitants of the district represent a new multicultural melting-pot - Hungarians, Gypsies, Chinese, Arabs, Americans and Germans, living together along with a sprinkling of policemen, prostitutes and quite a few animals. In this quarter everything is possible, and everything happens. We glimpse the adventurous life of a gang of street kids and their families and neighbours, full of humour, everyday crime, honour, love and sex, friendship and fights. A modern Hungarian-Gypsy version of Romeo and Juliet. A post-Communist South Park. With the potential to become a cult movie.

About the director

Áron Gauder directed his first animated short film, Claustrophobia, in 1997. In 1998 he made two animated shorts, Wondermill and Bersecker, screened at several Hungarian film festivals. His animated short Helping Ghost from 1999 was screened at the Annecy Animation Film Festival. In 2002, Gauder directed his Documentary of Iceland and, that same year, he created the computer-generated special effects for Hukkle, the prize-winning Hungarian feature debut by György Pálfy. In 2003 he directed the animated TV series “The District”, which formed the basis for his future feature film.