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EXPLANATION FOR EVERYTHING

Grandfilm Birthday Night | Gábor Reisz

The school-leaving exams are coming up in Hungary, and this is a tough time for the patriotic Abel. He is in love with Janke, but she ignores him because she only has eyes for the left-wing history teacher Jakab. Abel has to take his exam with him - and fails. It is clear to Abel that the teacher has failed him because of his nationalist views. The initial school squabbles soon develop into a political scandal. Abel's father, an ardent supporter of Viktor Orbán, senses a conspiracy and makes a big deal of the case. The conflict escalates when the father confronts Jakab. Director Gábor Reisz creates a vivid portrait of the political and social tensions in Hungary today. The dialog-rich, intelligent screenplay sheds light on the conflict between generations and political camps, combining local Hungarian references with universal themes. Reisz and co-writer Éva Schulze rely on a chapter structure that offers different perspectives on the same events, creating a Rashomon effect. Visually, the film captivates with long, clear shots inspired by the Romanian New Wave. “Explanation for Everything” is a captivating, biting work that captures the social fractures in today's Hungary in striking images. The film won the main prize in the Orizzonti section in Venice in 2023.

Co-produced by

OT: Magyarázat mindenre Director: Gábor Reisz Screenplay: Gábor Reisz, Éva Schulze Length: 128 min. Language: Hungarian OF / English UT Country of production: Slovakia, Hungary Production: Proton Cinema Llc, MPhilms s.r.o. Cast: Gáspár Adonyi-Walsh, István Znamenák, András Rusznák, Rebeka Hatházi, Eliza Sodró German distributor: Grandfilm Festivals: Venice, Chicago, Mumbai, Gothenburg, Hong Kong, New York, Sydney, Taipei, Karlovy Vary Awards: Venice Orizzonti main prize, Munich CineMasters, Chicago, Las Palmas, Les Arcs

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