Péter Vallai

A padlás

Budapest Retro

The ruined castle is inhabited by architects who, feeling the spirit of the place, want to direct the modernization of the settlement below the castle from here. Despite the residents' protests, the architects want to make the people happy by force.

A battle-scarred, has-been Hungarian cop, tormented by his memories of nearly killing an innocent woman in his custody, enters into a Faustian pact in which he trades his soul for a handful of "magic" bullets that always hit the mark. A mysterious and mythical story.

"Who are you, wonderful creature, Who are you, man? The garment of your soul A bright robe woven of starry rays, And your body Worn rags cover your body. Your family is hungry, you are hungry yourself, And it is your Sunday, If soft bread should chance to be On your tableclothless table, And what is there for you and yours Thou canst not get, The world at large Thou strivest to make the world happy."

A feature length, lively - montage style - documentary, capturing the essence of what life was like in socialist Hungary - dubbed the "The most cheerful barrack" back then - using contemporary music, interviews, adverts and news footages.

This self-ironic film of a humane intellectual attitude starts with Péter spying upon an undressing couple behind the window. But he is watched himself, for suddenly he gets an offer from a private detective office to shadow the woman.