Hukkle

Running time: N/A

Director Gyorgy Palfy's debut film is a masterpiece of intricacies that is part murder mystery, part nature documentary, and part experimental film. The theme may be difficult to define, but it is exactly the unconventional nature of the narrative that makes this film so spellbinding. Perhaps the most peculiar, yet fascinating, aspect of Hukkle is that it is dialogue free, but it is far from a silent film. A "?symphony of noises" is created from the hilarious hiccup of an old man on the side of the road to the serene sounds of grass growing to the symphonic toil of workers in this seemingly idyllic small town. But the banality of daily life in the countryside begins to diminish as the director creates surprising twists and turns that reveal the sinister underworld of the townspeople-and perhaps a murder. Palfy's filmic landscape is startling and deliberate. Subtle and suspenseful, the film creates a web of imagery from which the viewers will find it difficult to extricate themselves. - Jennifer Glynn