Judgment in Hungary

DIRECTOR: Eszter Hajdu   COUNTRIES: Germany, Hungary, Portugal   YEAR: 2013   LANGUAGE(S): Hungarian SUBTITLES: English   RUNNING TIME: 112 min  

SECTION: International Forum 2015

SYNOPSIS

An enthralling documentary about a trial of four far-right extremists accused of executing several Sinti and Roma in Hungary. The film takes place most of the time in the claustrophobic courtroom where the judge is harsh. During the trial it becomes increasingly clear how widespread racist resentment against Roma and Sinti is in Hungarian society.

Eszter Hajdú observes the trial without commentary and uses only a few different shots. The trial is not about reconstructing the case as such – it’s clear from the outset that those in the dock are guilty. The film centers on horror – the horror as a woman whose child was murdered has to give evidence jammed between the fat, grinning accused and the moody judge. The horror when a paramedic explains that he hadn’t noticed that the child had been shot in the head. The horror that Sinti and Roma face on a daily basis in Hungary.

ESZTER HAJDU
Estzter Hajdú, born in 1979 in Budapest, studied Electronic Media, Sociology and Jewish Culture. In her documentary films she focuses on sociopolitical subjects. After participating in the IDFA ACADEMY, she is currently studying at the Budapest Film and Television School. Her film THE FIDESZ JEW, THE MOTHER WITH NO SENSE OF NATION, AND MEDIATION was awarded at the 40th Hungarian Film Festival and by Verzio, the International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Budapest.

FILMOGRAPHY
Destino (2007), The Fidesz Jew, the Mother with No Sense of Nation, and Mediation (2008), Demon Hands (2010), Judgment in Hungary (2013)

PRODUCERS: Sándor Mester, Menno Boerema   CAMERA: István Szőnyi, Eszter Hajdu, Gábor Medvigy   EDITOR: Bence Bartos   MUSIC: Sándor Meste

PRODUCTION: Miradouro Media, Perfect Shot Films Gmbh   WORLD SALES: Sándor Mester, Miradouro Media