One of the last rosters of international film festivals to hit Manila this year is perhaps an unfamiliar one to film enthusiasts and frequent moviegoers. Compared to its other counterparts, the Hungarian Film Festival (HUFF 2.0) is fairly new, having only launched last year. But following last year’s success, HUFF 2.0 is scheduled to have its second run from Nov. 28 until Dec. 2 at Greenbelt 3 Cinemas.
Let’s face it, we don’t get to see much about Hungary beyond The Grand Budapest Hotel (and it wasn’t even a Hungarian film to begin with). But this year, we can finally see more of Hungarian cinema through six featured films, all translated in English. Tickets are also free of charge.
Here’s a sneak-peek to the films that will be screened:
Final Cut (2012)
You’ve probably never seen a film quite like it. Final Cut narrates the love story between a man and a woman told through hundreds of scenes from the past hundred years of world cinema. The whole movie consists of quick cuts from 450 classics that are cleverly edited to create a cohesive love story. Who knew that the Incredibles would star in the same movie as Charlie Chaplin?
Mephisto (1981)
A 1981 Academy-award winning classic by internationally renowned filmmaker István Szabó, Mephisto tells the tale of a successful German stage actor who finds himself caught up in the rise of Nazism. The popularity of his character supersedes his own existence until he finds that his best performance is keeping up appearances for his Nazi patrons.
Budapest Noir (2017)
As the name goes, Budapest Noir is a detective thriller set in the mid-1930’s Budapest. A crime reporter thinks he has seen it all, but when he receives a tip to an unusual crime scene and an investigation of a young girl’s murder, he is led to a world of pornographers, brothels, and Communist cells.
1945 (2017)
A rural village prepares for the wedding of the town clerk’s son, when two strangers arrive at the train station. The villagers are afraid that survivors will return, posing a threat to the properties and possessions they acquired during the war.
The Legend of King Solomon (2017)
Dubbed in English, this film is an epic adventure of romance and magic based on a popular folk legend, in which animals, demons and humans meet. The film follows the adventures of the young King Solomon, the Arab Princess Nama and the African Queen of Sheba, as they as they struggle together against the King of Demons, Asmodeus, who is trying to seize their kingdoms.
Lajkó, Gypsy in Space (2018)
This film is a black comedy about the first living being in space, who was not actually a dog called Laika but a Hungarian crop-sprayer by the name of Lajkó. In early 1957, the Soviet Union decides to give Hungary the honour of providing the first cosmonaut to orbit in space and the most suitable candidate turns out to be none other than Lajkó, whose life as a pilot reflects his lifelong attraction to the stars.
For the full schedule of the screenings, you may visit HUFF 2.0’s event page here.
Header image and film photos courtesy of The Embassy of Hungary.
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