Sunshine

Three eras, three stories, three stages of life: the moving story of a Jewish family in Hungary that, over three generations—from 1840 to the Hungarian Revolution in 1956—has to fight against political rulers, social barricades, and inner conflicts, yet always sticks together. István Szabó has created a great portrait of an era and a society. "The casting is also unusual, to say the least. Ralph Fiennes plays three characters, gradually slipping into the roles of grandfather, father, and son. This is confusing, especially at the beginning. For example, when we see Adam being tortured to death by the Nazis in one scene, only to see the identical-looking Ivan in the next, it can be quite unsettling. But it is also fascinating and frightening to see how history repeats itself. How one ideology is replaced by another, and yet people still cannot move forward. In between, there are moments of hope, the sunshine of the title. Only to (...) be swallowed up again by darkness." (Oliver Armknecht, on: film-rezensionen.de) "Szabó directed with great breath and a sure hand, conventionally, but stylistically appropriate to the epic. The camera adapts in every respect to the grandeur of the work and also skillfully captures the lavish yet historically accurate sets. Historical documents were cleverly incorporated into the plot, giving the film a high degree of authenticity. The great abundance of such diverse scenes was combined into a harmonious whole through precise editing. Despite its excessive length, the film never becomes boring; on the contrary, skillful dramaturgy helps to maintain constant tension. The dialogues are abundant, but necessary to convey the plot to this extent. Maurice Jarre's compositions further enhance the effect. A film that naturally thrives primarily on its captivatingly ideal cast and the careful performances of its actors.“ (from: Jury statement FBW ”particularly valuable")