By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Péter Gárdos
Starring: Judit Németh | Lajos Bertók | Sándor Csányi
Original language title: A Porcelánbaba
Country: hungary
Year: 2005
Running time: 75
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414135/combined
Bruce says: “Based on three short stories by Ervin Lázár, THE PORCELAIN DOLL consists of three distinct vignettes related thematically. Director Péter Gárdos, who also wrote the screenplay, draws on Hungarian history and culture to tell his tales. ‘Hungary,’ as the director puts it, ‘has had its fill of holocausts, major and minor. Continually foreign powers have invaded; people from elsewhere come and tell us what to do.’
“The first story is about invading soldiers who challenge a young man from a small village to compete against them in traditional track events – running, shot put and high jump. Soldiers tranquilly watch the competition from horseback. When the villager soundly defeats the soldiers in the sporting events, they kill him.
“Hungary is filled with folk beliefs, legends from unknown sources that are the underpinnings of Christian rituals. The second vignette involves a dead boy who comes back to life spitting bullets. The villagers think he has been resurrected. In the third story, the villagers are being liberated from their oppressors. An official from ‘the head office’ arrives one day to cede ownership. The villagers think he is a liberator. When a violent storm comes many of the villagers drown. A scapegoat is sought for the source of their troubles.
“THE PORCELAIN DOLL is a small film, one that serves its subject, and I would imagine its source, well. It is offbeat particularly because few real actors were used and the characters are weathered and earthy as one would expect village peasants to be. 3.5 cats
“THE PORCELAIN DOLL was shown at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival.”