First Look: Meet Hungary's Next Oscar Contender, 'Budapest Noir'

READ MORE: First Look: Terrence Malick’s Documentary ‘Voyage Of Time’

Hungarian cinema has always had a prestige that few can claim they know about. They’ve been submitting films to the Academy Awards since 1965, making the Eastern European country the second longest-running submitter to the Oscars, with only France beating them to the punch by 9 years.

With nine nominations and two wins, including last year’s runaway smash critical hit “Son of Saul,” it wouldn’t be surprising to see a sudden resurgence from Hungarian filmmakers in the near future. In her latest feature film, the award-winning editor turned director Éva Gárdos decides to change the Hungarian cinematic norms and film something that has surprisingly never really been explored in their national cinematic identity: Noir.

Based off the award-winning 2008 novel of the same name, “Budapest Noir” is a period thriller set in 1936 Budapest during the politically charged era of pre-Nazi Hungary, wherein a weary, beatdown, but incessantly inquisitive reporter, Zsigmond Gordon, cannot let go of an unsolved murder of a prostitute, going to long lengths to discover the truth about the seemingly insignificant tragedy. Driven to sleazy brothels, smoky lounges and other parts of the Hungarian criminal underworld, Gordon is let down a path that will make him question the morality, goals and hubris of the right-leaning Hungarian government.

“Budapest Noir” is set to have its theatrical release sometime in 2017. The film’s rights are being handled by the Hungarian National Film Fund World Sales (HNFF World Sales). Check out our first look at the film, thanks to stills from Twitch, who debuted them today.

Check out the trailer for “Son of Saul” below:



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