The Holocaust in Film: “1945”
“They’re back”… the visiting men in black hats aren’t villains out for revenge, but Orthodox Jews who have come to a Hungarian village at the end of the war. Their purpose is unclear. The veneer of civility, built over the village’s foundation of treachery, begins to unravel.
Director Ferenc Török paints a complex picture of a society trying to come to terms with the recent horrors they’ve experienced, perpetrated, or just tolerated for personal gain. A superb ensemble cast, lustrous black and white cinematography, and historically detailed art direction contribute to an eloquent drama that reiterates Thomas Wolfe’s famed sentiment: you can’t go home again.
Directed by Ferenc Török (2017), Hungary.
Based on the acclaimed short story “Homecoming” by Gábor T. Szántó.
