Szindbád

A carriage travels through the landscape. Inside, a dying man—feeling the kiss of death upon his lips—surrenders to his memories, which are filled with joy and sorrow, love and loss. A man who lived for pleasure and was always restless, he must now come to terms with the fact that he will die alone… Huszárik’s adaptation is less concerned with the adventures of its protagonist than with translating the experience of reading into film: moving to the rhythm of memories and daydreams, the film—utilizing macro shots and associative editing—wanders through a world of nostalgic sentiment and earthly delights. The latter reach their zenith in the legendary tavern scene, in which Szindbád first spoons up a steaming beef soup and then spreads the marrow from a beef bone onto a piece of toast. (Fruzsi Vajda)