THE PORCELAIN DOLL

A feature film based on the novella collection Csillagmajor (Star Farm) by Ervin Lázár

Director: Péter Gárdos

DP: Tibor Máthé

In 1996 Ervin Lázár published a magical novella collection, Csillagmajor (Star Farm). These novellas are connected by their location, the all too real FARM, where loveable, naive, and cunning farmers live.

However, all the stories on this farm, at one point or another, often at the beginning of the novella, take off from the ground with a miraculous and unexpected turn. Then, without any particular guidance - become a fairy tale.

A fairy tale out of the ordinary. These stories of Rácpácegres immerse into the traumatic and dreadful history of the 20th century. One way or another, the farmers, living by their own laws, find themselves up against the laws of the surrounding (outside) World and from these conflicts, uplifting and tear shredding magical stories are born.

From these stories our film, "The Porcelain Doll", tells three tales that are closely connected.

From the far away outside world soldiers on horseback arrive to the Farm where they are unexpectedly confronted by a 14 year old adolescent boy.

At the time when history takes a swerve a "comrade" visits the farmlands from a government headquarter and promises that he will resurrect the dead...

In another bad year in memory an elderly Swabian couple tries to hide from the relocation process, but somebody reports them...

The three tales in the end are the same story with the same cast as well. "The Porcelain Doll" is a message from a long extinct past. Three formidable miracles from Europe's twentieth century.

Festivals

2005
Hungarian Film Festival, Budapest (in competition)
Best Director to Péter Gárdos,

Best Supporting Actor to Sándor Csányi,

The Gene Moskowitz Prize Awarded by the Foreign Critics

Leeuwarden Noordelijk Film Festival (in competition)

Matad'or (Main Prize)

Moscow International Film Festival (in competition)
Special Mention of Film Critics' Guild of Russia

München Film Festival

Jerusalem International Film Festival

Toronto International Film Festival

Vancouver International Film Festival

Reykyavik Film Festival

Pusan International Film Festival

Montreal Festival Nouveau Cinéma

Calcutta International Film Festival

Ankara Festival on Wheels (Ankara, Burse, Kars, Izmio)

Data sheet

Title:
The Porcelain Doll
Title in Hungarian:
A porcelánbaba
Director:
Péter Gárdos
Author:
Ervin Lázár
Screenplay:
Péter Gárdos
Director of Photography:
Tibor Máthé
Editor:
Mari Miklós
Sound Master:
Ferenc Császár
Costumes:
János Breckl
Production Designs:
Balázs Hujber
Production Manager:
Zsolt Monostori
Line Producer:
István Juhász
Producer:
Dénes Szekeres

Cast:
Lajos Bertók
Sándor Csányi
Judit Németh
People living on farms

Produced by:
Tivoli-Filmproduction Ltd. (Budapest)
Coproducer:
Duna Television

Supported by:
Motion Picture Public Foundation of Hungary (Magyar Mozgókép Közalapítvány)
Ministry of National Cultural Heritage (Nemzeti Kulturális Örökség Minisztériuma)
National Radio and Television Commission (Országos Rádió és Televízió Testület)

Produced in:
2004

Technical data
Length:
75 minutes
Technology:
35 mm

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