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Balaton Method

director: Bálint Szimler

original title: Balaton Method

country: Hungary

year: 2015

running time: 85 min.

synopsis

This documentary journey, which explores the landscape surrounding Hungary’s largest lake and its recreational resorts, includes live concert footage of seventeen local bands – well-established names and newcomers to the music scene alike. Their performances, including the participation of a hundred other musicians, are recorded at various times of day in diverse locations, ranging from harbours and hotel balconies to churches, helping to create a portrait of the distinctive atmosphere at each of the sites. This independent musical road movie shot around Lake Balaton is the first Hungarian feature-length film financed through a crowd-funding campaign.

DETAIL:
“Balaton! This word has magical power! It makes all eyes kindle, puts a smile on everybody's face. The shining sun and the naughty waves paint all the faces golden brown. The lake is full of tourists.”

biography

Director and screenwriter Bálint Szimler, together with DoP Marcell Rév, are listed as the authors in the credits for Here I Am. This short film was introduced in the Cinéfondation Selection at the Cannes Festival in 2010, and, later that same year, was nominated for the European Film Award. It has since achieved cult status in Hungary. Together, the two filmmakers have created a series of music videos, starting with the Kodály Method (2011-2012), followed by the feature-length Balaton Method.

more about film

director:	Bálint Szimler
producer:	Gábor Osváth, Gábor Kovács, Árpád Szirmai
script:	Marcell Rév, Bálint Szimler
photography:	Marcell Rév
editing:	Zsófia Ördög, Áron Mezei
sound:	Péter Benjámin Lukács, Viktor Lente

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