Budapest Classic Film Marathon 2024: H. M. Deserters

Director: Janusz Majewski

Written by Kazimierz Sejda
Screenplay by Janusz Majewski, Pavel Hajný
Director of photography: Witold Adamek
Music by György Selmeczi
Cast: Marek Kondrat, Zoltán Bezerédy, Wiktor Zborowski, Róbert Koltai

Programme section "Open Archives" / FINA

Despite the ongoing war, troops of the Kaiserlich und Königlich (imperial and royal) Army from all over the empire manage to enjoy themselves in a back-of-beyond part of the Monarchy. The nihilistic captain doesn’t attempt to maintain order and the lower ranks spend a lot of their time in bars and brothels. Of course, they would all like to go home, but the idea of desertion only becomes serious when the new deputy commander decides that he is going to impose discipline whatever the cost. Janusz Majewski’s film made in a Hungarian coproduction was the most viewed work in Polish cinemas in 1986.

Supporting film: Changing Times
Hungarian animation, colour, 1977, dir: István Kovács, No dialogue, 4’

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