Cultural representations of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956
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Although the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 failed in its efforts to oust the ruling Communist government of Hungary, the uprising provided inspiration for many artists, writers, poets, composers and filmmakers.
Many movies and documentaries have been made about the revolution. They include:
- The Forgotten Faces (1961), a short directed by Peter Watkins, filmed on the streets of Canterbury, England, which re-creates events from the revolution to great realistic effect.
- Szerelem (1971), directed by Károly Makk, which tells the story of an old woman and her daughter-in-law, and the effects on them of their son/husband's imprisonment during the revolution and of his return home from prison.[1]
- Daniel Takes a Train (1983), film directed by Pál Sándor set at the time of the revolution.[2]
- Sunshine (1999) by István Szabó covers the 1956 Revolution among other historical periods in Hungary.[3][4]
- Réka Pigniczky's 2006 film Journey Home (Hazatérés), which tells the story of two sisters who try to find out what their father did as a freedom fighter during the Hungarian revolution of 1956. The story unfolds as the women take their father’s ashes from the U.S. to Hungary to fulfill his dying request to be buried in his native land.
A number films have also dealt with the famous Hungary-USSR water polo match at the 1956 Olympics, including Freedom's Fury, produced by Quentin Tarantino.
- Szabadság, szerelem (Children of Glory) A 2006 semi-fictional film by Hungarian director Kriszta Goda, depicting the effect of the 1956 Revolution on members of the 1956 Hungarian Olympic water polo team. A few weeks after Revolution was crushed, the Hungarian players find themselves up against the Soviet Union at a semifinal match.