Kadar’s Kiss – Private Hungary 12

Hungary1997documentary46'Retrospektywa Pétera Forgácsa (2020)

An ironic take on Hungary in the era of real socialism which reveals the schizophrenic discrepancy between the official and private version of the communist reality. Lifeless ideological speeches illustrated with the sluggish work of labourers on a large construction site and family fooling-around at a festive table. The legendary kiss of Brezhnev and Kaádaár in a newsreel juxtaposed with home pornography. Forbidden games behind closed doors as a safety valve to let off the emotions officially stifled.

directed by: Péter Forgács
Media artist and independent filmmaker based in Budapest whose works have been exhibited worldwide. He has made more than thirty films, including the best-known award-winning series Private Hungary based on home movies from the 1930s and 1960s. His international debut came with The Bartos Family (1988), which was awarded the Grand Prix of the World Wide Video Festival in the Hague. In 1983, Forgács established the Private Photo & Film Archives Foundation (PPFA) in Budapest, an exceptional collection of amateur film footage which served as the raw data for his unique re-orchestrations of history. In 2002, the Getty Research Institute held an exhibit of his installation “The Danube Exodus: Rippling Currents of the River”. He has received several international festival awards and his films were presented at many international festivals around the world. His highly recognized works are part of numerous public museum and university collections.
script: Péter Forgács
music: Tibor Szemzö
sound: Zsolt Hubay
editing: Kati Juhász
production: Gábor Sarudi
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