Satantango
dir. Béla Tarr · 1994
Plot
In a small, dilapidated village in 1990s Hungary, life has come to a virtual stand-still. The autumn rains have started. A few of the villagers expect to receive a large cash payment that evening, and then plan to leave. Some want to abscond earlier with more than their fair share of the money. However, they hear that the smooth-talking Irimias, who they thought had died, is returning. They are apprehensive that he will take all their money in one of his grandiose schemes to keep the community going.
Why watch
In a small, dilapidated village, the arrival of the enigmatic Irimias stirs a mix of hope and dread among the villagers, who await a cash payment that could change their lives. Watching it feels like being enveloped in a thick fog, where every moment stretches into eternity, and the weight of despair hangs palpably in the air.