Archive of films Just the Wind / Csak a szél

Hungary / Germany / France
2012, 87 min

Section: Horizons
Year: 2012

In 2008 and 2009 Hungary was shaken by a series of attacks against Romanies, during which six people died. A sober piece about a family with a host of problems. The film doesn’t attempt a documentary reconstruction of events but, without a hint of affectation, it reflects upon the irrationality of racism. The film won a Silver Bear at this year’s Berlinale.

Synopsis

Mari lives with her invalid father and two children outside the city; day-to-day existence has its problems, but now they fear for their lives as well: their village has witnessed some extremely brutal crimes where families have been gunned down in their own homes by unknown perpetrators. How can a mother take herself off to work when she doesn’t know what might happen to her kids in the meantime? Need the children restrict their everyday activities when the nature of the violence is so irrational and thus inscrutable? Inspired by real events, the filmmakers are keen to avoid emphasis on the folklore associated with the Romany community, and focus instead on their daily struggles, their individual troubles and woes. Without uprooting its characters from their environment, the film is able to see into the problems of each one of them. The director is not seeking a cathartic climax, however; rather he works towards a critical resolution, bringing to a head the prolonged strain and tension which the viewer inevitably experiences together with the protagonists.

About the director

Bence Fliegauf (b. 1974, Budapest) is a major player in contemporary Hungarian film. He did not attend film school but gathered experience working as an assistant director in television, where he was also involved in screenwriting and production design. He debuted with the film Forest (Rengeteg, 2003), which won a prize at the Berlin IFF. His second film, Dealer (2004), was a hit at festivals all over the world, including Karlovy Vary; his subsequent title Milky Way (Tejút, 2007) won the Golden Leopard at Locarno. Womb (2010), the director’s first film in English, stars Eva Green and premiered at the Locarno festival. Just the Wind competed at this year’s Berlin IFF, where it won a Silver Bear.

Contacts

Artcam Films
Rašínovo nábřeží 6, 128 00, Praha 2
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 221 411 619
Fax: +420 221 411 699
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.artcam.cz

The Match Factory
Domstrasse 60, 50668, Cologne
Germany
Tel: +49 221 539 7090
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.the-match-factory.com

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About the film

Color, 35 mm

Section:	Horizons

Director:	Bence Fliegauf
Screenplay:	Bence Fliegauf
Dir. of Photography:	Zoltán Lovasi
Music:	Bence Fliegauf, Tamás Beke
Editor:	Xavier Box
Producer:	Mónika Mécs, András Muhi, Ernő Mesterházy
Production:	Inforg Studio
Cast:	Katalin Toldi, Gyöngyi Lendvai, Lajos Sárkány, György Toldi, Gyula Horváth, Gergő Kaszás, Atilla Egyed
Contact:	Artcam Films, The Match Factory
Distributor:	Artcam Films