Official Selection - Competition 2003 / A Rózsa énekei / Hungary, Italy 2003
In an elegant villa in suburban Budapest, a group of Jews finds secret refuge from fascist terror. They hope to be saved from death by the fame of the villa’s owner – world famous opera singer Imre Rózsa. They only know Mr Rósza from his singing: obliging caretaker Géza takes care of the running of the house and of solving all crises. The story, seen through the eyes of Géza’s adolescent son, was inspired by true life events.
Autumn 1944. Long-time Jewish settlers from Budapest suffer increasing despair and resignation. Fascist terror has become a part of their everyday misery, and people wearing yellow stars have little chance of survival. They are sent to a ghetto and only one road leads out – the road to death. However, a few men and women have found a secret refuge in a suburban villa, and they hold out a bit of hope: the owner of the house is Imre Rózsa, a world famous opera singer who, despite being Jewish, is untouchable thanks to his exceptional social standing. Rózsa doesn’t see his guests: he remains in his room upstairs; those staying below can only hear him singing. Caretaker Géza Halász, the sole person in contact with their host, keeps the entire household running. During a serious crisis befalling the villa’s inhabitants, only Géza makes the right decisions and shows bravery. No one knows this better than the caretaker’s 14-year-old son. The film is based on real events.
98 min / Color, 35 mm
International premiere
Director Andor Szilágyi
/ Screenplay Andor Szilágyi
/ Dir. of Photography Elemér Ragályi
/ Music László Benkö
/ Editor Teréz Losonci
/ Producer Endre Nagy
/ Production Grant Film
/ Cast Franco Castellano, Ildikó Bánsági, Maia Morgenstern, Dávid Zum
/ Contact National Film Institute Hungary
www: www.arozsaenekei.hu
Andor Szilagyi (b. 1955, Szolnok) has mainly been occupied writing plays, novels and scripts. In 2000 he was awarded the Hartley-Merrill Prize for his screenplay for Russian Tarot (Orosz tarot). Rose´s Songs (A Rózsa énekei) is his feature debut, and it took Best Screenplay at the national festival in Budapest in 2003.
National Film Institute Hungary
Róna utca 174., 1145, Budapest
Hungary
Phone: +36 30 4414465, +36 146 113 20
Annamária Basa
Andor Szilágyi
Endre Nagy
Kinga Gajdos
Film Institution Rep.
László Benkó
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