The latest teaser of “Blockade”, the movie Hungary nominated for Best International Film at the 95th Academy Awards, has just arrived, providing us a glimpse into two important periods of Hungarian history.
The makers of “Blockade”, which debuts in cinemas on 20 October, have set out to show some of the key moments of the political career and private life of Hungary’s first freely elected prime minister, József Antall, through the first major political and economic crisis after the fall of communism.
The historical background to József Antall‘s life is provided by the stifling atmosphere of Soviet repression and the events of the revolution in the 1956 scenes, and the chaos in the streets and at the negotiating table triggered by the taxi blockade in the 1990 scenes.
In the film, Antall, recovering from a medical operation, gets caught in the crossfire of crisis management and political clashes in his ward. Through his recollections, we also learn about his youth, his work as a teacher in during the communist repression, and his role in the 1956 revolution.
The director of “Blockade”, Ádám Tősér, said, ”It is unbelievable to many people how many twists and turns there were in the life of József Antall. His life story was shaped by history, but our film is not a history lesson, it is a real, exciting cinematic experience.”
He also reflected on the historical background of the film, noting “History is always made by people, our film gives an insight into who these people really were.”
(Photo credit: Attila Szvacsek)
