Aglaja (2012)

This film is about the relationship of a mother and her daughter, the split-up of their family, the blessing and curse of belonging together and about coming of age - all this from the ... See full summary »

Director:

Krisztina Deák

Writers:

Krisztina Deák (screenplay), Aglaja Veteranyi (novel)

Stars:

Eszter Ónodi, Babett Jávor, Piroska Móga

4 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Eszter Ónodi	...	Sabine
Babett Jávor	...	Aglaja - at 5
Piroska Móga	...	Aglaja - at 15
Zsolt Bogdán	...	Tandarica
Janka Dobi	...	Ana
Tamás Keresztes	...	Petru
Ráhel Solténszky	...	Fly Woman (as Rákhel Solténszky)
Gergely Kovács	...	Andre
Iván Kamarás	...	Milo
Adél Jordán	...	Mary Mistral
Enikö Börcsök	...	Frau Schnydel
Kati Lázár	...	Frau Lili
Piroska Molnár	...	Frau Hitz
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
András Bálint	...	Circus Director - Roncalli
Balázs Czukor	...	Magician

Storyline

This film is about the relationship of a mother and her daughter, the split-up of their family, the blessing and curse of belonging together and about coming of age - all this from the perspective of the young girl Aglaja. The story is based on real-life events, an Eastern European circus artist family that fled to the West. If they want to stay in the circus business they have to make up an exotic act. The mother spends all their money to buy a very dangerous act: hanging by her hair high up in the dome of the circus while juggling with burning torches. Every night Aglaja is terrified by the fear of losing her mother. But, on some day, she has to follow the family tradition and become the "Woman with the Hair of Steel".

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Plot Keywords:

circus | f rated | 

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Taglines:

Aglaja - Life hangs on a hair's breadth

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

Hungary Romania Poland

Language:

Hungarian Romanian German English

Release Date:

11 October 2012 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Aglaya

Filming Locations:

Batthyány Castle, Bicske, Hungary

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hai Hui Entertainement, Inforg Stúdió, Opus Film

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Hair and Tears

This is a good coming-of-age movie, similar to others about girls' childhoods, rather heavy on the mother/daughter drama, quirky and somewhat melodramatic, though at least in this case the childhood seemed to have been legitimately eventful, since it took place in the circus. The film adds touches of magical realism, but this seems make it less realistic rather than more magical. The actors are fine, the girl is cute, and certainly the audience can relate to problematic parents, but the main character remains rather a mystery, even though she provides narration throughout the film. It doesn't help that from one scene to the next the story jumps from her childhood to young adulthood, though during that time not much seems to happen, she is the same quiet observer of her own life. That said, she does make some interesting observations, and the highlight of the movie for me was (predictably) her burlesque dance with a strategically hairy rival. The movie has a decent enough ending, though the viewer is left wondering where she goes from there.