Hungary
HAPPY NEW LIFE
CREDITS
35mm – colore - 85’
Direction: Árpád Bogdán
Screenplay: Árpád Bogdán
Photography: Márk Győri, Gábor Szabó
Editing: Márk Győri
Set Design: Márton Ágh
Costumes: Andrea Flesch
Sound: Lajos Csernóczky
Music: Membrán
Cast: Lajós Orsós, Michaela Göczi, István Szilvási, Roland Tzafetaas, Zsolt Kovács, Ágnes Daróczi.
Producer: Gábor Rajna, Gábor Sipos
Production: Laokoon Film c/o Magyar Filmunió, Város Ligeti Fasor 38, H-1068 Budapest, Tel.: 1-351 77 60 Fax: 1-352 67 34, email:filmunio@filmunio.hu
World sales: Magyar Filmunió, Város Ligeti Fasor 38, H-1068 Budapest, Tel.: 1-351 77 60 Fax: 1-352 67 34, email:filmunio@filmunio.hu
SYNOPSIS
An unnamed city in the present. The film’s main character, Attila, lives here on a large modern housing estate. He knows nothing about the life that goes on outside, and not much more about the world at large. Attila is a member of the Romany people. He grew up in an orphanage and never knew his parents. He has no idea what it means to be a gypsy, because nobody has ever told him about this culture. Since his Romany roots don’t inform his identity, he does not know how to draw strength from this rich ethnic background. Instead, there is a void within him; and he feels a strong impulse to belong to somebody.
One day, Attila receives a surprising and unusual present from the man who used to look after him. The gift contains official documents and family papers that are not normally allowed to be disclosed. But Attila’s guardian has not forgotten. He knows how Attilia has longed for this day, and now, he is prepared to fulfil his wish. Sure enough, the documents give Attila hope that he will somehow be able to recover everything he missed out on during his childhood.
THE DIRECTOR: ÁRPÁD BOGDÁN
Born in Nagykanisza in Hungary in 1976. His courses of study at Pécs College included teachers’ training. A stage actor and director, Boldog Új Élet marks his debut as a feature film director.
FILMOGRAPHY
2002 Labyrinth, cm
2003 Ütem és forgalom, cm
2007 Boldog új élet
SELECTED FESTIVAL AND AWARDS
2007 Berlin IFF / Panorama: Manfred Salzgeber Award - Special Mention
2007 Budapest Hungarian Film Week: 2007: Simó Sándor Prize for the Best First Film; Best Original Music: Membrán; Best Producer: Gábor Sipos, Gábor Rajna (Laokoon Film).
