Instructive Story

Judit Ember returns to follow the life of Nóra Szabó, the heroine of her documentary film 𝘛𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰̈𝘳𝘵𝘦́𝘯𝘦𝘵 ("Instructive Story", 1975). The troubled young woman who formerly attempted to commit suicide by jumping off a fourth floor is now an unmarried and pregnant mother with two children. Her own mother also brought up her children in similar circumstances, in a closed community without men. But Jenő, the unflaggingly energetic labourer and father of Nóra’s third, as yet unborn child, brings change into their lives.

In 1948, when schools were nationalized, a policeman was killed in Pócspetri. The authorities accused the whole village and instigated a hearing. Now the people of the village tell us all about the events of the past.

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".