The Wall Driller
In the extensive restoration program of Hungarian film heritage led by the National Film Institute of Hungary (NFI), the films of these two filmmakers stand out for their uniqueness. After a few formidable offerings inspired by cinéma vérité, the former turned to a type of cinema influenced by American westerns, to the point of becoming the leader of a subgenre: the Goulash Western. The latter made a handful of magnificent experimental films and a masterpiece: Sinbad.
Out of the blue, family-man Géza, who enjoys a tranquil and modest suburban life, resigns from his job and decides to make a living as a self-employed entrepreneur. He sets down all the options: should he make a start as a taxi driver, locksmith, or maybe go into removals. Finally he decides on wall drilling, which opens new opportunities for him. He soon launches into a muddled relationship with the seductive woman next door, but he has no idea what secrets the prefab flats actually hide. A grotesque and humorous snapshot of housing estate microcosms in the 1980s, in the comical style of György Szomjas. (National Film Institute Hungary)
György Szomjas
György Szomjas was a Hungarian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 20 films from 1965 to 2021. His 1983 film Light Physical Injuries was entered into the Berlin International Film Festival. He is the father of the Hungarian Ostern, the Goulash Western. In the 1970s, he directed two osterns about Hungarian rascals, The Wind Blows Under Your Feet (1976), and Wrong-Doers (1979).
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