Two men in black step down from the train and unload a large box which they have loaded on to a cart and taken through the town. They're not the gunslingers so favoured by old Westerns, but two Orthodox Jews, father and son, with something to return home. But the Western comparison holds further, with the film shot in black and white, and the arrival of the men raising tensions and old wounds in the townspeople.
This is a small Hungarian town on a baking hot day in August 1945. The war is over, the Germans have gone, the Russians are now the occupiers, but the political future of the country is uncertain. In this vacuum even the most insignificant of local politicians are jostling for power and trying to ensure they don't lose out of whatever changes are heading their way.
But this is a town with guilty secrets, and the arrival of the silent Jews brings up memories that many would prefer left alone. Several prominent members of the community benefited from the Nazi purge of their Jewish neighbours, and now find themselves conflicted between guilt and avarice. Their varying reactions to the visitors expose the problem and give rise to some extreme reactions.
Director Ferenc Torok has tacked a difficult subject with honesty and sensitivity, shining the spotlight on an part of the country's history that has been largely ignored. It's tensely atmospheric throughout, with minimal dialogue, and beautifully shot. In a fine ensemble cast Péter Rudolf stands out as the bullying Town Clerk, determined to protect his position, no matter how ill-gotten.
This is a wonderful exploration of the impact of occupation, and collaboration, and the scars they leave behind. Highly recommended.
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