White Palms

Colour, 35 mm
Hungary, 2006, 100 min
Section: East of the West - Films in Competition

Synopsis

Few realise how much hard work, denial, suffering and pain is concealed within the graceful movements and seemingly effortless routines of a top gymnast. But the price to pay for perfection like this is often extremely high. The gymnast Uldi arrives in Canada to coach young gymnastic talent. However, he doesn’t make a very good impression on people. Something from his past continues to weigh him down. He is persecuted by old pains and traumas from his childhood when, as a boy, he had to endure the agony of daily training sessions, tough military drills and the coach’s insults and beating. But the coach, and Uldi’s parents, saw only a future world champion, and not a sensitive boy about to enter adulthood. However, Uldi’s sudden rebellion has tragic consequences. The film is a combination of autobiographical elements and the experiences of the director’s brother, Zoltán Miklós Hajdu, a leading gymnast who also played the main role. Director Hajdu also asks what price sportsmen have to pay to get to the top, and what kind of relationship the athlete should have with his coach.

About the director

Szabolcs Hajdu (b. 1972, Debrecen, Hungary) began his career as an actor. In the years 1995–2000 he attended Budapest’s University of Theatre and Cinema. He also worked as a stage director. He launched his filmography with two short films, Necropolis (1997) and Valaki kopog-Kicsimarapagoda (1998). He made his feature debut in 2000, Sticky Matters (Macerás ügyek), which won Best Debut in 2003 at the national film preview Magyar Filmszemle. He followed this up with the feature film Tamara (2004) and White Palms (2006), his most recent film, which was screened at the IFF in Cannes.