Land of Storms (2014) User Reviews

Love and tragedy in rural Hungary

[Laakbaar · 7/10 · 28 February 2015]

This is a quiet Hungarian movie about Szabi, a gay lad from rural Hungary. He befriends a guy on his soccer team in Germany (Bernard), but then gets sent home when they have a fight in the shower.

Now back in his grandfather's old house in the country, he runs into Áron, a beautiful, handy young man who helps him repair the old house he's living in. One thing leads to the next, and he and Áron enter into a relationship. Áron is confused but eventually accepts his gayness.

At this point Bernard shows up again, and things get complicated. He was in love with Szabi all along. Inexplicably forgetting all about gorgeous Áron, Szabi hops into bed with Bernard. However, after some awkward moments, in the end Szabi chooses local boy Áron (of course!) After seeing these beautiful young men in this idyllic setting, one wonders why everyone goes to Budapest when the action seems to be out here.

The themes here are coming out, finding love and homophobia. Yes, the same themes as Brokeback Mountain. Parents and the town find out about it all, and their reactions are not positive at all, especially towards Áron. Things get ugly and violent and tragic.

I thought the whole thing was very well done, and fairly interesting, although a little on the melancholy side. This is not a zippy American production. It's very much an Hungarian movie but I suspect Hungarians might cringe at this portrayal. I think it's important to remember that if the film had been set in Budapest, the story would have had a very different outcome. Rural Hungary here is a moral landscape, like Brokeback Mountain or an American small town in the 1950s.

It's sometimes hard to dispel the mistaken notion that gay people lead tragic, doomed lives. Movies like this don't exactly help. However, a movie about happy gay people leading ordinary lives wouldn't be much of a movie. There wouldn't be any story or character development.

At least now we understand that the tragedy befalls them not because they're gay (e.g. the sex things are shown quite positively and beautifully in this movie), but because of homophobia. This movie has that message too. It seems to be a story that filmmakers need to tell over and over again, in different settings and in different contexts. Bad things happen to gay people, yes, but it's not because they're gay. It's because they are persecuted. If Shakespeare were alive, he'd be telling the same story. It's too perfect.

Original and Surprising Hungarian film of gay love

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 8/10 · 18 April 2015]

Two boys are talented football players in Germany Szabolcs is from Hungary and his best friend Bernard is German. Then after a particularly unfruitful game, Szabolc decides to return to Hungary and live in the broke down farm that he inherited from his grandfather.

Whilst he had rejected his homosexual urges in Germany - once he gets home he meets Áron and for him it is a game changer. The thing is it is also a game changer for the whole community. To say any more may be veering in to plot spoiler territory. Needless to say there are depictions of homophobia here. Some may say that we have seen it all before, but films like this need to be made to address the still pervading attitudes in many countries and communities towards LGBT people.

Filmed in Hungarian, German and a tad of English with good sub titles. This is done using an original story line, a group of talented actors and a lot of warmth. The decisions that some of the characters make may be questionable, but I am pretty safe in saying that we all have made mistakes in our lives. I found this to be engrossing, sensual - in parts - and ultimately moving; this is for lovers of gay cinema in all its parts.

Stadt Land Fluss with More Intimacy

[a00030864 · 8/10 · 5 May 2015]

Essentially Stadt Land Fluss with more sexual content in it but the movie was also moody, intimate and the ending took me by complete surprise.

The movie took awhile to get rolling but that is typical of European movies (i.e., no action scene within the 1st minute as in American movies needed to keep the audience from leaving the movie theater).

All 3 actors in the movie were believable and into their roles. If those 3 boys are straight, they deserve an award.

You could conclude it was East European homophobic but; rather, Aron could not move on without freeing himself of Szabolcs and the guilt after his Mother's death - he was addicted to Szabolcs. That has nothing to do with geography nor homophobia, in the end it is selfish love for ones self over all others and in its worst form. Aron could not come to terms with whom he was.

Deeply troubling

[Davalon-Davalon · 6/10 · 20 December 2020]

This was a difficult film to watch. It seems to take place in its own very unique world, a strangely frozen in time world. It also has multiple storylines that would play out well in a TV series, but started to become distracting.

On one hand, I feel like rating this a 10 because of some brutally honest scenes. But ultimately because it ends in tragedy, and it didn't have to, I cannot say this is a transformative work, only a sad and troubling one.

In brief, Szabolcs is a young up-and-coming soccer player, coached by his dad, who believes his boy has a stellar future ahead of him. But Szabolcs is only playing soccer to please his dad. He has vague dreams of becoming a beekeeper on his grandfather's property. (I guess it is his grandfather's property, and only because I read it in online synopses; it was not thoroughly clear to me from the film itself.) After some field time and shower time (where a fight breaks out between Szabolcs and one of his teammates, Bernard (Sebastian Urzendowsky, who really gave a stellar performance), who has a crush on Szabolcs (a crush that Szabolcs most likely wants to benefit from, but is too afraid), Szabolcs leaves and goes to his grandfather's dilapidated property with vague dreams of fixing it up. (Szabolcs does not verbalize his feelings a lot.) While he's there, a pair of men see his motorcycle parked on the property and decide to steal it. But Szabolcs is superfast on his feet and catches the perpetrator, Áron (played by Ádám Varga, a legitimately sensual screen presence).

The storyline turns murky here because it seems that Szabolcs is going to "punish" Áron for stealing the bike by having him help Szabolcs remodel Gramps' old house. This leads to a series of adventures that ultimately end up with a hot night on the beach, where Áron discovers, to his shock and surprise, that he actually might have sexual feelings for Szabolcs, who also (now far away from home and free to experiment) is no longer holding back who he really is.

This borderline "Brokeback Mountain" relationship is played out through a long series of family/friend/school/church-related subplots, the gist of which amount to: you cannot be gay and live in this area/town/county/country. It is really sad, tragic and disturbing on all levels. It oddly feels that no one in this very cloistered world has ever experienced (and/or has any knowledge or awareness of) homosexuality, and so, those in the majority feel they must stamp it out and punish those involved.

As such, there is a lot of violence in this film. It sadly looks like the actors really suffered through the punishment doled out by town cretins who think they are morally superior when in fact they are stupid, ignorant, obnoxious low-lifes. These episodes will be familiar to any marginalized person who has been victimized by righteous morons who think they run the world.

So, both Szabolcs and Áron try to ride the wave of these attacks, and it seems that Áron is much more interested in maintaining the relationship with Szabolcs, who has so much inner turmoil that you don't know whether to cry and hug him or slap him and tell him to grow up.

Then, when it seems that Szabolcs has perhaps lost Áron as a result of all these incidents that collude to separate them, he calls Bernard, apologizes for attacking him in the shower, and says that he's alone and that there's nothing and no one where he is. Bernard, who, it is now clear, has a deep, deep love for Szabolcs, soon shows up and even though Szabolcs resists it, he soon finds himself kissing Bernard passionately.

But then events conspire against Áron, and as you can imagine, the only thing that makes sense to him is returning to Szabolcs -- only to find that Áron bathing him.

This leads to some wild time for the three men in a nearby river. It starts as arguing and shoving and then, in a shocking twist, Bernard grabs Áron and starts making out with him. Szabolcs soon joins in and then it seems we have a happy trio.

But of course, we do not, and how the rest of the relationships play out, I will leave for you to see yourself. But I can say that it does not end well or happily... but it could have. And because it doesn't, it really, really hurts. It hurts because it just reinforces the belief that homosexuality must be punished or abolished, because it somehow inexplicably causes otherwise "straight" men to do things they otherwise wouldn't do. That's the gist of this story and because that's the path that it ultimately leads us down, I cannot recommend it, unless you are willing to sit through a lot of violence for a few moments of intense tenderness and sensuality.

The beauty of this film, if I can say this, is that both Szabolcs and especially Áron come off as straight men. And that is the intriguing thing about this movie -- it's like they were both removed from their realities for a while and a door unlocked in both of them and, for a special window of time, they had this intensely beautiful, sensual relationship. If this relationship had somehow survived (and it could have), I think this film might be considered a flawed triumph.

Unfortunately, it succumbs to the dark side and as such... what is the benefit? Yes; there are hateful human beings in this world, but... do we need more reminders of that? Do we need to see once again how hatred of "the other" is justified reason to kill them or destroy their lives or worlds? So, on one hand, I must give props to the filmmaker for basically confirming a horrible truth about the world, but on the other hand, I must offer criticism, because it hurled to the ground what was otherwise a powerful, unique story.

If you need a happy ending or hope, you are not going to find it here. But if you are willing to subject yourself to a sad, tragic film, you might find it of interest.

a Hungarian story

[Kirpianuscus · 29 December 2016]

the basic sin of this film could be the well known story. the virtue - the nuances of this well known story. because, against the similarities with Brockeback Mountain, the comparison with many other films about the same theme, it is a film who has its individuality. the fragile success in Germany, the links with the past, the new life and the secret who becomes obvious, the reaction of community to a fundamental sin, the symbols - the old house as one of the most powerful -, the bitter poetry are small but significant pieces who transforms an ordinary story about homophobia in a special pledge for tolerance. and this is the important thing. the silence, the relations, the victim, the image of happiness and error. so, a film who can not be reduced at the basic theme. and this is the great thing - to present, using the right tone, a forbidden love story. the rest is silence.

Massively disappointed; an otherwise great film ruined by internalised homophobia

[tajriaaan · 6/10 · 1 June 2020]

What the hell? I would've considered giving it a full 10 stars. There are some beautiful shots and sequences and even though it can be a little hard to watch at times, it's a very good film, until the last 100 seconds. I have no idea what the director's and writer's point was? The last 100 seconds need to be erased or something. I was having a great time and now I'm heavily disgusted. If you're planning on watching this, stop watching when 5:05 is left (with credits) or 1:45 is left (without credits) because really, the film ends there. Whatever it was after that, it was inhuman and disturbing and most of all, pointless.

Extremely powerful, moving and poignant. Unmissable.

[RichardvonLust · 9/10 · 17 April 2015]

Although the themes in Land of Storms are well worn and familiar, this incarnation of the ills of homophobic society is particularly effective at alerting us to the madness of it. It is beautifully made both artistically and dramatically - in many ways it might even be a masterpiece of emotion.

Szboliks hails from a small village in Hungary. He is a young professional footballer in a small German league team where he finds himself the subject of unsolicited attention from a fellow player, Bernard. There is a scuffle but the German team mates support Bernard over him and the young Hungarian is beaten to the extent that he returns to his home village. There he meets a young builder, Aaron, and eventually a sexual bond forms between them. But their parents and local community are vehemently opposed to any alternative lifestyle and their relationship appears doomed from the start. Eventually Bernard arrives for a visit and the stage is set for a compelling drama of refuted love and jealous passion.

The performances from all characters are solid and entirely convincing. The script is perhaps a little labored but the tension created through the story is so strong that all other considerations are cast aside. The ending is both shocking and poetic - and the story is essentially true. A must see for all eclectic film lovers.

It was good until the end... How true this story was? I had no idea and no source about it.

[andrewtst · 6/10 · 19 October 2020]

It is unnecessary every gay film end like this. If this was true story, somebody is murderer.

Or did he return and save him? Anyway the end is spoiling it nor-matter it is actual fact or not.

Was so into this film until.........

[ckishere · 8/10 · 10 September 2020]

I was so into this film until the last 1-2 minutes!!! Did it really have to end this way???? I think it's based on true events but darn it, do 99% of LGBTQ+ films have to be tragedy based! Can we get some happy endings "pun intended" Szabolcs why didn't you go with Bernard!!!!

sucker for a happy ending

[millington-christopher · 7/10 · 28 January 2019]

Why do some many gay films have such extremely sad/ tragic endings. It's to a point where I'm watching a LGBT film and I'm wondering kind of tragic ending it will have

Horrible Ending...

[ydboi741 · 5/10 · 4 October 2018]

I don't recommend this film due to the ending. It was not needed and ruins any investment you have made to the characters. Depressing and negative.

Sad ending ... but true story

[joshcloud-02081 · 10/10 · 31 March 2019]

I hate, absolutely hate how many of these movies have sad endings. I understand it's a true story and I respect that but movies like this and the others with these type of endings make me feel like it's nearly hopeless actually break through my own fears as a young gay man/athlete that hasn't had the easiest time thus far. The love story itself was authentic to me...I was envious of their love and ability to overcome until the last min of the film.

Very promising movie but...

[thg011093 · 6/10 · 17 May 2020]

First of all, I must say "Viharsarok" is an underrated gem from Hungary. I came across this movie and skipped it several times due to its relatively low rating, then decided to give it a try due to running out of gay movies to watch. It was not a wrong decision. There were great drama, good-looking actors and hot intimate scenes. Everything was enjoyable... except the last minutes. I did expect an unhappy ending but never imagined it was that brutally tragic! The fact that the movie was based on a true story made it more depressing. Thanks for ruining my day. P/s 1: I guess most of the low ratings were for the ending only. It didn't do justice to the rest of the movie which were indeed great. P/s 2: Internal homophobia is the worst.

Empathy

[tomasdavisd · 4/10 · 4 May 2020]

I personally never get tired of homophobia-themed movies, but this one I do find hard to believe. The ménage-à-trois period of the movie is missing an introduction, there's just no opening to that, it just happens.

Abundant sex scenes lay in a ground where they're neither completely revealing, nor shy. The end had no elegance, again just so abrupt.

Watching this film, I feel I didn't get the chance to understand the emotions of the characters. It lacks in-depths of their feelings.

Does the world need another movie about homophobia?

[jm10701 · 30 December 2014]

Question: Does the world need another movie about homophobia? Answer: No. One was enough.

We need to know that it exists; we don't need to be obsessed with it. We don't need to experience over and over - vicariously, through characters in a movie instead of our own bodies - the pain of being hated because we're different. We need to stop wallowing in rejection. We need to stop thinking of ourselves as victims and celebrating our victimhood.

Many gay men disagree with me. Many gay men think Brokeback Mountain is the greatest gay movie ever made. If you're one of them, if your favorite gay movies are ones where the gay character(s) get rejected, humiliated, beaten up or killed (often by the straight men they love) then you will probably like this movie. I'm not saying any of that happens in this movie, so this is not a spoiler; I'm just saying if you like movies in which gay men suffer because they're gay, you'll probably like this one.

Personally, I'm tired of that suffer-for-being-gay crap. But I'm equally tired of gay movies at the other end of the spectrum, in which toned, tanned, hairless gym bunnies with huge - muscles - celebrate their own fabulousness while inferior (ie, normal) gay men worship them and brain-dead queens twitter comically in the background.

AND I'm tired of movies that try to have it both ways, with an hour of pain and rejection followed by a miraculous happy ending, in which the hunky, white-toothed prince carries his frog bride off into the West Hollywood sunset.

What I want, and what I believe most gay men need, is movies about ordinary gay men, whose lives are fun but not fabulous, who have friends - gay AND straight - who love and support them, not because they're rejects who need that support but because they're interesting men who are fun to be around.

I want movies in which gay men live full, rich, happy, challenging lives with AND WITHOUT partners, in which a gay man isn't defined or validated or made whole by the man who loves him any more than a woman is and - even more important - would laugh at such a stupid idea. We need liberated gay men in movies just as we needed liberated women in movies 50 years ago.

I want movies in which no one is humiliated or beaten. I want movies in which no one vomits. I want movies in which the stupid phrase "unconditional love" is never heard.

NOBODY loves unconditionally. It's not possible for human beings to love unconditionally. That's as big a lie as Prince Charming. We love what makes us happy, what makes us feel useful and wanted and valuable. That's good, not bad. Unconditional love doesn't exist, so we need to stop insisting on finding it.

All I'm saying is that we gay men need to accept the fact that we are human beings, and we need movies that show us acting like human beings instead of like caricatures.

I take its Homophobia to learn something

[ZanderZion · 6/10 · 3 April 2016]

Another LGBTQ themed film to lure the gay audiences and yet it ends in Homophobia. But this time I wasn't insulted much. In fact I like the story of the film. Good casting, well run screenplay, some bland acting but still will do. One good thing too is they never exploit much the nudity (for me it's unnecessary) but mixing some religious scene it's an obvious hint that it is not a happy LGBTQ themed movie, it annoys me but we must accept the norm of society. This movie also is almost the same as the story of "Stadt Land Fluss" (Harvest 2011) but with more intimacy and well explained story about the main characters and how their life story plays. A young man(Szabolcs), a football player that after a loss came to a question of his personality and happiness. Went back home to an inherited farm house, his solitude was paid with love by but a man (Aaron) whom also trouble on his sexual orientation. He got a gay friend whom also his lover, his father and the football is always be there for him waiting but he ended deciding for his happiness. Sad and I never expect a tragic ending. But everything is concluded, Aaron is troubled for everything that happens in his life. Before he met Szabolcs he used to have a loving girl, a circle of friends and a welcoming religious community, and a mother but all got screwed. All of his mishap and also the death of his mother was blamed to Szabolcs. The Homophobia here enters Aaron itself, his enemy is his self alone. Selfishness and cowardice dominates him making him unable to appreciate and fight for the love of Szabolcs that he choosed to better end it with a crime yet we know he'll troubled for the rest of his life.

Unnecessary for those of us of a certain age.

[robtyrrell-98607 · 7/10 · 27 June 2020]

OK, have to remind myself that the movie is based on actual events. Because otherwise it's just another moody, bumpy "love story" with a horrible ending. If I wanted to be depressed I could watch a documentary about any of the countless gay-bashings, gay self-loathing and murders throughout history.

But since it IS based on actual events, I guess it serves as yet another reminder about the colossal amount of work we still really have to do in society to get acceptance for gays, throughout the world.

just not logic

[moranlev1984 · 9/10 · 13 May 2018]

Everything was absolutely beautiful. Until the end..!! What the hell?! Aron doesn't seems a guy who would kill a fly, so why over a sudden he put a knife in his lover stomach?! Its just doesn't seems logic. Its ruins the film for me!! I was so schock and overwhelming. Its just not logic!!!

Not bad

[danielitob-10520 · 7/10 · 25 June 2017]

the movie isn't that bad overall the only issue i have here is the dog..... like sorry but where does he come from???? who feeds him when the guy is gone and how did he live when he first came to his house that he inherited???? like I'm really concerned for that dog. The ending wasn't the best i would appreciate it if for once their could be a happy ending not a bad ending...

Hungarian Gay "Brokebackish" film that would make Shakespeare stand and clap

[jkdigitaldesigns · 10/10 · 18 November 2014]

LAND OF STORMS is based on a true story and this flawed me. It is one of the most beautiful films I have seen all year, slightly "BROKEBACKISH" and one of the most evocative films of love and pure tenderness. It is sensual, powerful, filled with love and heart and it is also a Shakespearean-styled tragedy of the heart that embraces martyrdom. Shakespeare would have have given this film a standing ovation. Szabolcs (András Sütö) is an exceptional football player, he is in running to play for Germany, but he does not know what he wants from life, he plays football purely for his father and has little passion in it. He barely knows himself, being in the football team there is a lot of bonding and near nakedness from teammates, his roommate is pretty much in love with him and possibly vice versa. Szabolcs sabotages his position on the team and basically runs away back to his bequeathed home in Hungary. The place is falling down and it leaks like a sieve but he likes it. One night Szabolcs wakes to see some guys trying to ride away on his bike, he tackles one of them to the ground who hits his head and becomes unconscious. He does the right thing and nurses Bernard (Sebastian Urzendowsky) back to the sunlight. Bernard feels guilty and helps Szabolcs fix his house up and start patching the roof. They bond, they form a friendship, they get drunk and have a lot of fun and one thing leads to another and a sexual encounter occurs, an encounter that is all about Szabolcs pleasing Bernard, Bernard keeps himself removed but enjoying the sensation. At this stage that Szabolcs falls in love and sees his moment to get away from it all, he doesn't give a XXXX about his football life, he wants the picket fence and he could possibly have it here with Bernard. And this becomes a difficult love affair in a town that has never had a gay. Bernard is confused and also spends his life looking after his sick mother, he confesses in his confusion that his new employer Szabolcs felt him up but he didn't stop him. It gets to the town, poor Szabolcs gets beaten and outcast, but he really doesn't give a XXXX. In the meantime Bernard is struggling with his newfound sexuality that for the first time in his life involves tenderness and love and it goes beyond his dick, it reaches to his heart. And so begins an on again off again relationship set in a strange Hungarian country town that are naive to the ways of homosexuals and preferred they didn't taint the town with their dick on dick action :). To throw a spanner in the works, once Szabolcs is head over heals his old roommate Áron (Ádám Varga) turns up to see Szabolcs in the hope their love will start. And here we have a tense life choice, love or love, country bee-keeping with a new life, or possible love while playing for Germany in football. The direction, acting and cinematography of this film are superb. The film felt subdued and slightly sepia but this gave it a poetic and emotive hue. Hungarian director Adam Csaczi's assured debut feature delivers in every way, it never becomes melodramatic, it maintains heavy drama and sensual romance but still has moments of high comedy and moments that will make you cry and then his finale, a moment that will punch you in the stomach, with a car. I never saw it come, but it did and I questioned it the entire way home and then reminded myself it was based on a true story, this never helped. The thing that got me about this film was the heartfelt tenderness and chemistry, these aren't incredible sex scenes with a set of 50 people and Angelina rubbing ice down her boobies, these are two guys, scruffy, and I have never seen something so loving and tender, I would kill for that chemistry and tenderness, and the scene with the door, a glass door, it is really short, but honestly one of the most cutest and romantic scenes I have ever seen, these guys are incredible as an on screen couple. The film is also strong in its thoughts and values on homophobia, there are some brutal scenes that had an audience of Sydney gays gasping. It is basic in its approach, people can be cruel, narrow minded bigoted people who would rather beat something than learn about it. It never lingers and it never lectures but nearly every gay man would have experienced something like this in their life, it covers so much of the spectrum of homophobia. Finally the cinematography, it is subtle and it is stunning, it is painted canvas with vastness in colours and camera angles that light up the screen, the high angled shots of the farm house and using the centred shot as opposed to off-centred shot works well. The shot towards the start of Szabolcs walking through the field towards the dilapidated house is beautiful, it was these scenes and the use of sunlight and beautiful night lit scenes that made the film stand out. I clap the film cinematography from Marcell Rev. This is the closest movie to BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN since BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, it is stunning, it is sensual and it is tragic but at the same time beautiful, romantic and filled with comedic and also deeply emotional moments. I LOVE THIS MOVIE, DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVOURITES FOR THE YEAR.

Well done but no happy ending

[cmthomps-28253 · 6/10 · 10 December 2023]

Beautifully shot with sparse dialogue and apparently based on a true story, it's a great film as long as you're ok without a happy ending.

Taking place in a small village in Hungary, there's some homophobia which could be triggering but then again that's the world we live in. It might not be pretty but life isn't always.

This isn't an American film so don't watch it if you're expecting one. Shots are long and there can be stretches where not much is said but the actors do a commendable job regardless. I would give it 7/10 but I had to deduct one for the ending. It was literally jaw dropping and left me feeling a let down. That being said, if you don't mind dark endings, then it's definitely worth a watch.

Negative and depressing

[arcane112 · 5/10 · 15 October 2015]

This film is about the young and handsome Hungarian lad Szabolcs who plays in a German football team. One day after a lost game and a fight with his friend Bernard he decides to go back to his home country. He inherited an old and dilapidated house and decides to renovate it. One evening a young lad, called Áron tries to steal his motorbike. He catches him but they end up being friends or some sort of "lovers" and renovate the house together. Áron is struggling heavily with his feelings…The people in the neighbourhood get to know about their relationship and start harassing both boys. I have a double feeling after seeing this movie. On the one hand it is nicely directed, the setting is lovely, the boys are quite handsome (they are even bare-chested half of the film) and the love scenes are touching, dialogues are sparse but sufficient… On the other hand this is one of the so many negative gay movies. We have seen the story over and over again. I know there are still a lot of prejudices against LGTB people in Eastern Europe and many other parts of the world, but this film has almost no positive image in it. It's mostly depressing and negative. Like the director wanted to give the message: if you are gay you will end up living or dying miserably and everyone else will hate you. Why are there so little positive LGTB films? Why is it always about homophobia, difficult coming out, one of the lovers not excepting his feelings… I would definitely not recommend this to gay people.

Harsh realities & clashing beliefs lead to a stunningly beautiful & gripping film

[sinnerofcinema · 10/10 · 8 June 2015]

Szabolcs (András Sütö) plays in a German football team, as does Bernard (Sebastian Urzendowsky). A lost match and an ugly confrontation leads Szabolcs to reconsider his life. He goes back to Hungary for simplicity & to build up an inherited broke down house and to bask in his newly found solitude. He meets Aron, a local who welcomes him by stealing his motorcycle. In a odd turn of events, Szabolc hires Aron (Ádám Varga) to help him rebuild his property. A mutual attraction develops to the detriment of Szabolcs, as Aron's mother and local mates disapprove of their relationship. Violence ensues for both. A sexual friendship of the same sex attraction breeds contempt with the towns people, as Aron's dependent mother denounces her son's lifestyle to the local bullies in an attempt to "correct" his behavior. A confused yet curious Aron expresses his affection for Szabolc with a mix bag of emotions and several eruptive confrontations that will ultimately lead to a very shocking and disturbing finale.

This Hungarian/German co-production may very well be reflective, and a testament of the the state of affairs and societal hostilities that still remain in place in a few rural towns within eastern Europe where the enabling, persecution & disdain for same sex couples seems to remain latent. This mentality shepherded by religious intolerance is what leads the violence and the hostile living conditions for anyone not subscribed to the few who have self appointed themselves as the enforcers of the town's moral code of conduct.

Hungarian director Adam Csaczi's unveiling of the story with its sweeping cinematography, superb direction and acting is poetic, lyrical and subtly mesmerizing.

well..

[nabilatitania · 7/10 · 21 June 2022]

I DID NOT expect the ending to be like that. DUDE. This thing should be-i thought- would be a beautiful movie with healthy relationship couple. OHHH BUT NOO.

Another homophobic Gay film from East Europe

[markbambach · 4/10 · 10 March 2015]

Another gay film promoting homophobia. We've seen the likes of this film 1000 times before over the last 4 decades. I understand it's completely in theme with current homophobia within Eastern Europe. East Europe is just a step down from Africa and the Middle East as far as homophobia goes, its just unfortunate writers and film makers can't progress from 1970 to assist in making a change in that.The more films made like this one and the 1000 others the same, the less chance these countries will have to move forward. Must we have another Gay film where there is homophobia, Gay bashing and murder? Like I say, we've seen this film 1000 times before. Basically what this film is saying is that you will only have misery if you choose a gay path. There is no such thing as happiness in gay life. I would suggest anyone who is Gay doesn't watch this film, you will be bloody annoyed, frustrated, and bored at the outcome just as I was.

It is actually a real shame they choose this path for the ending, it could have been a great film.