The autobiographically inspired film marks the young director’s first feature-length work. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it received the Best Canadian Discovery Award. Through the story of a Hungarian family relocating to Canada, the film explores adolescent mental health struggles and the enduring impact of unresolved family trauma.
At the center of the narrative is Jeremy, whom we initially see through the childlike perspective of his younger sister, Sasha. Decades later, the adult Sasha attempts to reinterpret and process her past. The film boldly blends fiction with documentary elements: real mental health professionals appear on screen, and the director’s alter ego literally steps into her own memories, creating a layered and self-reflexive cinematic language.
Following the screening, producer Osváth Gábor presented insights into the making of the film. With a budget of approximately €500,000, the project was realized through Canadian–Hungarian financing, with development taking place in Canada. According to Osváth, the co-production came together relatively quickly, and the film was shot with a compact crew of just 17 people. He spoke in detail about the process of initiating international partnerships, the multi-year development period, and offered practical advice on how first-time filmmakers can approach sales agents. He also emphasized the advantages of producing an English-language film in terms of international sales and market visibility.
The Q&A session that followed was dynamic and densely professional, with questions arriving in quick succession. The lively exchange set an inspiring tone for the week ahead.
The critical observations on the film partly draw on an article by Dávid Lubianker, as well as interpretations from the English-language festival review published on the TIFF website.
