Memories of a River
| Memories of a River | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Judit Elek |
| Written by | Judit Elek Péter Nádas |
| Produced by | Gábor Hanák Hubert Niogret András Ozori |
| Cinematography | Gábor Halász |
| Edited by | Katalin Kabdebo |
| Music by | Péter Eötvös György ifj. Kurtág |
| Distributed by | Quartet Films Inc. (USA) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 147 minutes |
| Countries | Hungary France |
| Language | Hungarian |
Memories of a River (Hungarian: Tutajosok) is a 1990 Hungarian drama film directed by Judit Elek. It is a historical film set in 1882 and tells the story of the last trial in Hungary of a Jew for ritual murder.[1]
Synopsis
[edit]In the 19th century Austro-Hungarian Empire David Hersko, a Jewish shepherd, witnesses the attack of a young girl. His home is burned down and he finds shelter with the family of a Jewish logger. The loggers find the body of a young woman which they bury, going against local laws. They are charged with her murder and it is believed that they killed her as a ritual murder.[2]
Cast
[edit]- Sándor Gáspár as Herskó Dávid
- András Stohl as Matej
- Pál Hetényi as Csepkanics
- Zoltán Mucsi as Jákob
- Franciszek Pieczka as Vogel Ansel
- János Ács as Vay György
- Tamás Fodor as Eötvös Károly
- Róbert Koltai as Scharf József
- Andor Lukáts as Schwarz Salamon
- Georgiana Tarjan as Sára
Controversy
[edit]For the purposes of the film 14 sheep were spread with flammable substance, and then to the order by Judit Elek were burned alive.[3] 69 scientists from the Jagiellonian University demanded from authorities of forbidding Judit Elek entry to Poland. Scientists wrote among others: "No director knowing her own worth would debase herself for using so primitive and cruel methods".
Awards
[edit]The film won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 1989 Montréal World Film Festival.[4] In 1990 it won the Grand Prix at the Créteil International Women's Film Festival.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Chanes, Jerome A. (2004). Antisemitism: a reference handbook. ABC-CLIO. p. 317. ISBN 1-57607-209-6.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (20 March 1992). "To Be a Jew In 1880s Hungary". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (20 March 1992). "Tutajosok: Review/Film; To Be a Jew In 1880s Hungary". NY Times.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "Director: Judit Elek". San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. 1996. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- ^ "Best Screenplay Award from Cairo". Filmunió. 9 December 2006. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
External links
[edit]
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