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The captivating third installment in Mészáros’s 'Diary' series follows the young filmmaker Juli (Zsuzsa Czinkóczi) on her journey back to Budapest in the wake of the short-lived 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Here, she witnesses first-hand the terrifying upheaval caused by the widespread civil unrest and the violent Soviet backlash. It becomes clear that no one in Juli’s inner circle is safe: her friends in Moscow have become brainwashed by Soviet propaganda, her aunt Magda (Anna Polony) is in hiding and fearful for her life, her boyfriend – a newsreel producer – is censored by the State police, and it’s all she can do to keep the enraged János (Jan Norwicki) out of prison. As information regarding her father’s fate comes to light, it becomes clear that Juli’s arrival into adulthood will be marked by many of the same ruptures that preceded it, with the terrible weight of history laid firmly across her shoulders.

Opening with a thrilling reenactment of the demolition of the Stalin Monument in Budapest and featuring an unforgettably tense New Year’s Eve party sequence in which long simmering tensions between the characters reach boiling point – Diary for My Father and Mother stands as the series’ most stridently political work; a passionate testament to the unwavering determination and courage of individuals who defy authoritarian control, regardless of the personal sacrifices involved.

Ages 15+