For Whom the Larks Sing

In 1956, a crusading newspaper reporter covers the Soviet invasion of Hungary. Initially critical of the communists, the feature later espouses the virtues of social changes implemented since the invasion.

Nagy István, the formerly poor peasant boy returns to his native village as a teacher. His conviction is that the abyss between rich and poor can be diminished by good will. The rich Böröcz Horváth Klári returns his love, and also Böröcz Horváth is willing to help the poorest family, the Bakos. Bakos Jóska, who was sent to serve the tough Böröcz Horváth as a payment, dies of an infected wound and the people in the village hold the teacher liable as well. Nagy István realises, that the abyss cannot be ceased, what is more, it is impassable. He breaks up with his fiancée and stands by the side of the poor.

1866. The Habsburg monarchy fight a war against the Italians and the Prussians. General Klapka, who emigrated to England after the fall of the 1848-49 freedom fight of Hungary, exploits the situation and organises a Hungarian legion with the help of the Prussians, then attacking the Austrians in their back sets out to return to Hungary.

The protagonists of a comic Romeo and Juliet story full of gags are two widowed pensioners. Nádor and Mrs. Komáromi meet in the cemetery while mourning their dead spouses and they fall in love.

A 40-year-old sculptor returns home to witness the baptism of his young nephew. His return prompts a series of flashbacks to his youth and the political upheaval experienced by his family and friends.

On the novel by Mór Jókai. The first half of the XVIII century. Several decades of life of a noble family Karpati.

The story, which takes place in the reform era, centres around Mrs. Déry, a legendary actress, who, along with her fellow actors and actresses, travels around the country to become the herald of the Hungarian language, performing in villages and towns up and down the land as strolling players, a woman who is not put off by the prospect of starvation and the dearth of a home to return to and security to live in.

The "sleepless years" in this propaganda piece by director Felix Marlassy occur on Csepel Island, an island south of Budapest that is home to an armaments factory. The factory workers are shown being exploited by imperialists, capitalists gone berserk, and fascists, more or less in that exact chronological sequence. The heavy-handed approach does much to undercut the belief that when socialism finally takes over, the lives of the workers are brought up to a human level. In this instance, audiences might prefer a more nuanced and subtle statement, no matter what the message.

The film is a ballad about the dwellers of a block-of-flats in Angyalföld.

dr. Benedek Gábor, a famous solicitor in Eger, is the defense counsel of a murderer, who killed his wife out of jealousy. Gábor lives in a happy marriage with Anna. One day, however, Szentgyörgyi Péter, a famous pianist, comes to Eger. He once was loved by Anna, who in those days was training to become an artist herself. Gábor has no knowledge of these events of the past. He, therefore, associates the now renewed relationship with the story of the murderer he is the legal representative of.

On New Year's Eve in 1956 the artist couple, the actor János and the dancer Viki are hastily packing. While they are waiting for the car, which is to take them across the border, their entire life is replayed in front of their eyes.

Vörös Hajnal (Red Dawn), a co-operative is the venue of skylarking, while the storm destroys the wheat which is to be harvested soon. Árendás, a middle-peasant, voices severe accusations against members of the co-operative: out of negligence, they failed to keep the ditches clean. It is always the soft option they seem to favour, while the necessity of properly taking care of the farmlands is long-forgotten. Members of the co-operative and the village people are deeply divided.

Dressed as a gypsy woman, Krisztinka Oltay spies, organizes, and takes measures to help Prince Rákóczi and free his lover, Péter Szakmáry. Péter was taken in by his brother, who was loyal to the emperor, and he wants to execute him in Kassa together with the other Kurucs. Krisztinka inspires the tired kuruc troops with a song and Rákóczi's music to capture Kassa and free the prisoners...

László Bagyoni is forced to flee because he published a newspaper in the small Szekler village without permission. His friend Bence Uz, who lives in the mountains, takes him in. The notary's daughter Leticia arrives in the mountains with a hunting party. Her fiancé, Jonescu, becomes jealous of Bagyoni and the trip ends in anger. Uz Bence, who has made money from the hunt, wants to marry his old lover, Julie, but she has already married someone else. At Bence's intervention, the notary cancels Bagyoni's sentence. Meanwhile, Julis' husband dies and she is left alone with the baby. Julis leaves the child in the care of Bence while she goes to the city to serve.

Mocorgó, the well-meaning worker boy, is a tough guy. In his 40s he is still a mechanic's apprentice, but he is disappointed by his family, women and friends, and becomes a criminal. He goes to prison several times and tells the story of his life to the writer, who follows his story until 1956, until Mocorgó's death.

Based on the stories of Hungarian writer Gyula Krúdy, this film is a lush and sensuous depiction of the life, loves and memories of serial seducer Szindbád. As the protagonist looks back on his life, past and present, imagination and reality flow inseparably into one another.

András has been living away from his village for over twenty years, he is still appointed as the new chairman of the local agricultural co-op.

Following his wedding, Feri left the co-operative and is now working on the land of his father-in-law. Tóth is extremely wilful and thrifty, working from early morning to late night, pushing his family as well.

An aspiring film student is denied a scholarship to the state-funded university when his father is thrown in jail. The man had stopped a train in order to facilitate the union between two old friends. The son then takes a job as a land surveyor and meets a Greek man who works towards the collective benefits of the peasants. The man is killed in a peasant uprising prompted by a bureaucratic boondoggle. The surveyor looks after the man's widow as his emerging political and social awareness leads him take a stand against government injustice. Another incident, in which gypsies are rounded up by state hygiene workers, further galvanizes the man's beliefs. He photographs the incident, and his work allows him to be accepted into the school from which he was previously denied admission.

During the Seven Years War, Austrian Queen Maria Theresa sends her best general, András Hadik and his Hussars to raid Berlin and humiliate the Prussian King, Frederick the Great.

Merry soldiers arrive in the sleepy Transdanubian town. The cynical woman-hunter, Ferdinándy, learns to know doctor Barlay's beautiful wife at a carnival. She lives a happy married life, and the attentions of the lieutenant are all in vain.

The head of the nunnery is dying, and the members are divided in two groups as the election of the new head approaches. Led by Virginia, the younger nuns stand up for changing the strict religious dogmas and would like a modern school with genuine science, a bathroom to be built, and a freer spirit. Their candidate is sister Magdolna, who went to secular universities, too. The seminarists, led by Király Erzsi, also rebel against the older nuns' strict discipline and the depressed atmosphere of the institution. However, Magdolna does not want to stay involved in the fight because she is deterred by Virginia's sinful attraction towards her and the tools Virginia is using to gain victory at any price.

For the first time after 11 years, Simon, a young historian visits the village of his childhood at Balaton and Aunt Lina, his foster-mother. He gets upset by what he experiences there: the old woman's troublesome and vexing everydays, her quiet sadness. He is overwhelmed by his own memories, the death of his foster-father and by everything he was not aware of before, or he simply wanted to forget.

1958. In the cell of the condemned, seven men await the signs of an approaching execution. All of them recall their pasts and envision their wish-dreams.

During World War I, an ancient feud divides the industrial area in the county of Nógrád. The workers of the steal factory start a strike, but the miners do not support their cause. Sanyi from the steal factory and Ilonka from the mining community fall in love with each other, but can only meet secretly. When the boy dances with the girl in the pub of the miners, he is recognised and knocked down.

Aunt Ilka, who likes company, opens her house standing in the middle of a six-acre rose garden in the little town for the golden youth of the town. As a result of her benevolence, the tenants are in the position to adore not only the roses but a nice bunch of to-be-married girls of the town.

Ágnes, Vass and Kriszt run a sanatorium for consumptives. Fifi, daughter of the institute owner is also here, mortally ill. Feri, the ski trainer relieves her with his courtship every now and then from her boredom and distress.

A light hearted comedy, from the thirties. One of the most successful ones in Hungary. The ever enchanting story of a beautiful girl falling in love with a rich man.

The film, depicting life in the tenement houses of Angyalföld in the thirties joins the neorealist currents of Hungarian film. Ambrus Pista, the good humoured, attractive tram conductor is loved by women for his excellent job as well. With his lover, the street-walker Terus they spy upon the neighbour as he beats his wife in jealousy.

Count Vághelyi Gusztáv is now a member of the Carthusan order. He has to be there at her ex-sweetheart's, Betti's deathbed. Longing for penitence, he recalls his life so far.

The chroniclers are diligently scribbling the history of life and deeds of the virtuous and wise King Matthias, who, in the meantime, sneaks out of the palace in disguise. Instead of attending a boring reception of the imperial deputies and papal legates, he pays his address to three pretty women from Szelistye.

This romantic and grandiose historical film depicts the era of the constant incursions and heroic battles fought by the defenders of the castle of Eger, led by captain István Dobó, against the heavy odds of superior numbers through the lives and love of Bornemissza Gergely and Cecey Éva. Gergely is inaugurated as a fighter already at the age of 7, when he escapes the captivity of the half-eyed Turk, Jumurdzsak, with Vica and the war-booty. In thirty years' time he becomes the first assistant of captain Dobó and the brain of the castle in the defence of Eger.

The subject of this film is Dr. Ivan Egry, a young man, who becomes infatuated with Edit Ralben, the beautiful, but flirtatious, daughter of a prominent man. As the two get involved romantically, problems start to plague their relationship. When they end up separating, Ivan finds comfort with Josza, a pretty girl, much more stable than Edit, but far less glamorous. When Edit eventually re-enters Ivan’s life, he can’t resist her. Unable to resolve his conflicting emotions results in an abruptly tragic finale.

The satiric film is a dramatic-ironic picture of the Hungarian intellectuals in the seventies. Ebes, whose art has been awarded for its merits conglomerating folk features with modernity, can hardly believe that from his parents, old friends, and the sons of the people he did not even receive a telegram of congratulation.

Amazing adventures of a little boy and his friend, the great wizard Chili Chala.

This is a satirical comedy poking fun at favouritism. Kis Jenő proposes to Malvinka each year, but in vain, as the mother of his beloved considers him hopelessly unfortunate.

1920 in a mining town in the country-side. The team of children led by Ferkó Boda fish guns and a flag of Red soldiers out of the local lake.

Lint and his lover are sailing and making fun absent-mindedly at Lake Balaton when the anchor suddenly gets stuck in a bomb in the mud. Lint gets hurt while fussing about under the water. A strong storm breaks out when they reach the shore. In the local restaurant the man recalls his memories of war.