János Xantus

Cruel Estate

Helén and Jenö are waiting for a child and are desperately searching for an accomodation. They eventually sign a contract with an old lady, Szeréna, who lives in a two-family house. According to the contract, they are to pay a moderate rent and they have to take care of her until her death. After the first weeks, Szeréna accuses the couple of trying to poison her and builds a chicken coop on the balcony with the aim of living off the eggs she herself gathers.

Lily in Love

Insulted when his screenwriter wife writes a leading role for a younger man, aging Broadway idol Fitz Wynn disguises himself as a handsome young Italian.

Hülyeség nem akadály

Women's Hands

A man becomes acquainted with the mystery of female hands during a trip.

The Rock Convert

Director Janos Xantus was in the middle of making a video about Hungarian rock star Tamas Pajor when his subject suddenly became a convert to born-again Christianity. As a result, Xantus was able to record the startling transition. Pajor had been a hell-bent rocker, heavily into drugs, and known for a violent temper. We see him become a clean-living, clean-cut youth who sings about Jesus. Xantus had captured pre-conversion tape of Pajor trashing a hotel room and punching his hand through a plate glass window. In one of this film's most effective scenes, the new Pajor, hand heavily bandaged, quietly watches this footage. Rock Terito also has some dramatic recreations, but these add little to our understanding of Pajor. The transfer from video to film was generally effective, but some scenes are murkily lit. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Diorissimo

This short film examines the circumstances of an unintentional murder, without success. As Wittgenstein stated, "Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent." ("Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen.")

Werther és élete

The Whistling Cobblestone

The week-days of a youth-camp, playing democracy, are depicted in this documentarist satire. Due to faulty organisation, the Budapest high-school students get only working tools, but no work to do. The camp leadership tries to cover up facts and urges them to be initiated into "community life".