Thanks to the cooperation between the Hungarian National Film Institute and the Estonian Film Institute, one of the masterpieces of Estonian cinema, Smile at Last (Naerata ometi) will be screened at the Budapest Classic Film Marathon. The film will be shown with Hungarian and English subtitles, followed by a discussion with the lead actress Monika Raide.
When: 20 September, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Toldi Cinema (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 36.-38.)
SMILE AT LAST
(1985, 82 min)
Directors: Leida Laius, Arvo Iho
Produced by: Tallinnfilm
Music: Lepo Sumera
Cast: Monika Raide, Hendrik Toompere Jr., Tauri Tallermaa
On the death of her mother, teenager Mari is sent by her father to a state-run home. The sensitive girl is repelled by the rough games of her classmates, but over time she begins to understand them better. Leida Laius and Arvo Iho shot their film – screened at several international festivals – using amateur actors and filming in a real children’s home. This unusual, raw yet lyrical work speaks about the growing pains of adolescence, first love and the flashes of warmth and resilience that emerge from the harsh realities of everyday life in Estonia of the late 1980s.
Find more information here.