A RÉSZLEG

Hungary

Synopsis

This is a story that may have happened anywhere in Eastern Europe where people were not allowed to make decisions concerning their own lives, and where fear distorted their souls. However, this story happened in Romania, in the Dark Era of the past, among the high snow-capped mountain ridges where many Romanians speak Hungarian as well. Gizella Weiss, an engineer-designer, wins a competition and is appointed head of a section in the company. A few hours later she finds herself in a train compartment with a strange man to "accompany" her. The Great Trip moves further and further away from common sense and dignity. It takes two days and two nights with stops in shabby, run-down factory plants. In the meantime, Gizella Weiss is forced toaccept new rules of the game. She may be humiliated, she may be deprived of her most personal things, she may be made to take up bad liquor and smoking, but there is nothing else.... During the last part of her journey, traveled on a railcar driven by hand, she meets the former head of the section: a university professor that Gizella Weiss once knew. Now he is but a pair of lifeless eyes staring from a jungle of hair and beard ! And finally, The Outpost: an infinite range of snow-capped mountains and a terrible hut full of weasels. She will be required to drive pegs into the ground, which makes no sense at all, and who knows how long, for a month, a year or even a decade? There is a young man in the hut concentrating on only one thing: to survive those who sent him there. He refuses food, warmth and the woman. Gizella Weiss, however, accepts this rule, too. There is only one thing she is unable to give up - hope.
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Cast & Crew

Directed by: Péter Gothár

Written by: Adam Bodor

Produced by: Sándor Simó, Sandor Szonyi G.

Cast: Valentin Teodosiu, Misu Dimvale, Andrei Finti, Geza Toth, Alexandru Bindea, Stefan Silenau, Marcu Marcel, Jozsef Szarvas

Nominations and Awards

  • Feature Film Selection 1995