Katalin Varga (2009)

In the beautiful, otherworldly Carpathian Mountains a woman is traveling with a small boy in a horse and cart, looking to punish those who once abused her. For years, Katalin has been ... See full summary »

Director:

Peter Strickland

Writer:

Peter Strickland (screenplay)

Stars:

Hilda Péter, Norbert Tankó, László Mátray

11 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Hilda Péter	...	Katalin Varga
Norbert Tankó	...	Orbán Varga
László Mátray	...	Zsigmond Varga
Roberto Giacomello	...	Gergely
Tibor Pálffy	...	Antal Borlan (as Tibor Pálfy)
Melinda Kántor	...	Etelka Borlan
Sebastian Marina	...	Gergely's Brother-in-Law
Attila Kozma	...	Accomplice
Enikö Szabó	...	Zsuzsa
Zsolt Páll	...	Poultry Man
Florin Vidamski	...	Husband
Fatma Mohamed	...	Wife
Andrea Gavriliu	...	LA Girl
Raluca Sava	...	Sunflower
Szilvia Majláth	...	Singing Girl

Storyline

In the beautiful, otherworldly Carpathian Mountains a woman is traveling with a small boy in a horse and cart, looking to punish those who once abused her. For years, Katalin has been keeping a terrible secret. Hitchhiking with two men, she was brutally raped in the woods. Although she has kept silent about what happened, she has not forgotten, and her son Órban serves as a living reminder. When her village discovers her secret, Katalin's husband rejects her. With nothing to lose, she is free to seek revenge on the perpetrators. As she puts human faces to horrible acts, she is forced to consider that morality might not be as black and white as she had imagined.

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Plot Keywords:

horse | hanged body | mobile phone | wagon | axe | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France]

Country:

Romania UK

Language:

Romanian Hungarian

Release Date:

9 October 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

I ekdikisi tis Katalin Varga

Company Credits

Production Co:

Libra Film, Ross Sanders Production International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

A harsh film, but beautiful

The beautiful Transylvanian countryside, where a thin veil of modernity covers a continuing peasant lifestyle for many, is the setting for Peter Strickland's short, unsentimental film 'Katalin Varga' about the aftermath of a rape. It's a quiet movie, strikingly shot, that offers no pretence of life easier than it actually is. To me, it seemed that the reaction of the perpetrator's wife seemed simultaneously slightly overdone (in terms of motivation) and underplayed; one might also suggest that the ending is not especially satisfying, probably because the film never lets us know exactly what it is that Katalin is hoping for. This can be justified, however, because it's completely plausible that the character doesn't know herself. In a nutshell, this is a revenge movie; but so much more interesting that most of what we see in this genre.