Abandoned (Torzk)

Running time: N/A

Hungary in 1960-a few years after the revolution and during a time of social uncertainty and harsh living conditions. A communist state dedicated to the welfare of the people, it was said. Young Aaron's father leaves him at an orphanage where rigid discipline dominates and where children are subjected to extreme cruelties. Bewildered at first, Aaron is punished by the other boys but is soon accepted as a fellow sufferer. The director of the home is a devoutly religious martinet and takes every opportunity to punish the boys-a crime in a communist state. Even under these brutal conditions, however, the innate goodness and humanity of these young children cannot be extinguished and provide whatever redemption exists in their lives. Abandoned is a moving story of the survival of a young boy's spirit in the face of pervasive oppression by a society that ignores the human condition. Recreating part of his childhood, renowned Hungarian director çrp�d Sopsits presents an evocative and moving autobiographical coming-of-age story about innocence, cruelty, and sexual awakening. Reviewed by Ed Soohoo