- Occupation
Producer, Director - Country
Hungary
Hajdú Eszter
Fate
I saw her first in the church. I could not take my eyes off her. She is an artist, a princess. She is highly respected. I wanted to get closer. I wanted to get intimate. I needed her trust… I had to show her… A film about the possibility of familiarization, about the connection of two people.
My own private, Tarnabod
In the autumn of 2004 a unique program attempting to deal with the homeless was launched in Hungary. A small selected group of homeless families were given houses, gardens, and animals in Tarnabod, a small village lying some 120 km from Budapest, providing them with the chance to restart their lives. Who were these selected people? How did the poor people living in the village take to these "privileged" families? Did they accept or exclude the new arrivals? The film follows the personal dramas of three different families, while acquainting the viewer with the main participants of the programme and providing a glimpse into life in this village.
Demon Hands
The film is about focal dystonia - a disease that primarily strikes professional musicians. This disease ruins the lives of tens of thousands of musicians, in part because the patients are afraid to talk about it, and because doctors often misdiagnose it. The film originated in a screenplay by classical guitarist Sándor Mester (known as MS3), who suffered from this disease for more than a decade. Depression, alcoholism, suicide - this is the path often followed by musicians with focal dystonia... The film interviews musicians from eight different countries who either suffer from dystonia or have recovered.
Vivien
Vivien was born in a small, remote village in eastern Hungary; she has two siblings. Her Roma parents waited 15 years to conceive a child. Alongside their great joy came a great sorrow when they learned that one of the three babies, Vivien, was blind. When she was a small child, she often encouraged her mother: “Mama, don’t cry, I can see well enough." In 2006 the family reached a turning point. Their happy family life came to an end when Vivien had to leave her village home for the city, to attend a school for the blind. Hopes, disappointments, joys, unexpected situations. The film covers ten years of the family. Can a dream come true for someone whose path is riddled with obstacles, placed there by fate and by society?
I saw her first in the church. I could not take my eyes off her. She is an artist, a princess. She is highly respected. I wanted to get closer. I wanted to get intimate. I needed her trust… I had to show her… A film about the possibility of familiarization, about the connection of two people.
My own private, Tarnabod
In the autumn of 2004 a unique program attempting to deal with the homeless was launched in Hungary. A small selected group of homeless families were given houses, gardens, and animals in Tarnabod, a small village lying some 120 km from Budapest, providing them with the chance to restart their lives. Who were these selected people? How did the poor people living in the village take to these "privileged" families? Did they accept or exclude the new arrivals? The film follows the personal dramas of three different families, while acquainting the viewer with the main participants of the programme and providing a glimpse into life in this village.
Demon Hands
The film is about focal dystonia - a disease that primarily strikes professional musicians. This disease ruins the lives of tens of thousands of musicians, in part because the patients are afraid to talk about it, and because doctors often misdiagnose it. The film originated in a screenplay by classical guitarist Sándor Mester (known as MS3), who suffered from this disease for more than a decade. Depression, alcoholism, suicide - this is the path often followed by musicians with focal dystonia... The film interviews musicians from eight different countries who either suffer from dystonia or have recovered.
Vivien
Vivien was born in a small, remote village in eastern Hungary; she has two siblings. Her Roma parents waited 15 years to conceive a child. Alongside their great joy came a great sorrow when they learned that one of the three babies, Vivien, was blind. When she was a small child, she often encouraged her mother: “Mama, don’t cry, I can see well enough." In 2006 the family reached a turning point. Their happy family life came to an end when Vivien had to leave her village home for the city, to attend a school for the blind. Hopes, disappointments, joys, unexpected situations. The film covers ten years of the family. Can a dream come true for someone whose path is riddled with obstacles, placed there by fate and by society?
The Trial
Hungary was the site of serial murders by neo-Nazis. Over the course of two years, the murderers killed Roma children and adults. Their aim was to victimize the Roma. The judicial hearings on this unprecedented and bloody series of murders are now underway in Budapest. This film traces the fate of three Roma families who trust the judicial system to give them closure. They believe that the murderers - who killed their beloved family members - will be punished. They trust that the Hungarian state will protect them. The judge has a hard time keeping the passions in check. The decision is expected in early summer of 2012. The relatives of the victims are counting the days; they expect the verdict to bring them a measure of peace. Others are expecting an entirely different outcome… Will these families achieve what they seek? What will be the outcome of the marathon, year-long trial? And what will happen afterwards?
Hungary was the site of serial murders by neo-Nazis. Over the course of two years, the murderers killed Roma children and adults. Their aim was to victimize the Roma. The judicial hearings on this unprecedented and bloody series of murders are now underway in Budapest. This film traces the fate of three Roma families who trust the judicial system to give them closure. They believe that the murderers - who killed their beloved family members - will be punished. They trust that the Hungarian state will protect them. The judge has a hard time keeping the passions in check. The decision is expected in early summer of 2012. The relatives of the victims are counting the days; they expect the verdict to bring them a measure of peace. Others are expecting an entirely different outcome… Will these families achieve what they seek? What will be the outcome of the marathon, year-long trial? And what will happen afterwards?
Eszter Hajdu is a film director, journalist and sociologist. Eszter studied in Hungary, Sweeden, Italy and in Romania as well. She is a former student of the Central European University Nationalism Faculty. She studied at the University of Drama, Film and Television, Budapest, where she is a DLA student at the moment. Eszter’s documentaries won different Hungarian and international awards. For her provocative film: "The Fidesz Jew, the mother with no sense of nation and mediation" she won the Schiffer Pal award at the 40th Hungarian Film Festival, and the Special Prize of the Verzio International Documentary Film Festival. In 2010 Eszter was working on her new film in Lisbon, Portugal; The Jew With A Nazi Medal, which is a documentary about the former president of the Lisbon Jewish Community. Her documentaries cover the issues of minorities, health, music, art, culture. She is passioneted about making documentaries about taboo subjects.
2010 “Vivien”: vivienfilm.blogspot.comdirector, producer, script writer2009 “Homeless Essay”, portrait of the Hungarian Serbian writer, Laszlo Végeldirector, script writer2009 “Lullaby”, socio-musico documentary: director, script writer,producer2008 ”The Fidesz Jew, the Mother with no Sense of Nation and Mediation”:directorAwards:Hungarian National Film Review - Shiffer PalAwardVerzio International Film Festival-special award2007 ”Destino”: director, script writer2006 “My Own Private, Tarnabod”: director, script writerAwards:Prizma Film Festival, Budapest -Best Documentary 2006.Cinefest-International Film Festival of YoungFilmmakers, Miskolc, Hungary – Best Documentary2006.
Eszter Hajdú
Balázs utca 55.
1147 Budapest
Balázs utca 55.
1147 Budapest
Miradouro Kft