At first glance, Love, Emilia reminds viewers of a soft Art Nouveau étude. A young women's novel with a few rough edges. It would not be entirely inappropriate to view it from this angle, but there is really much more hidden in there. Director Pál Sándor gives us a taste of things to come as we see the kernels of thought from which his later films, Salamon & Stock Show and Football of the Good Old Days, would stem. In Pál Sándor's world, authority does not directly interfere with people's ...lives. Instead, it creates the rules and shows us how society adapts as a result. The question of power, freedom and autonomy are not simply present in a theoretical context, they are perilous bedfellows. We are privy to how the evolution of simple desires, such as conformance and the urge to break out, shape destinies. The only question remains: will you accept the rules?
Love, Emilia can be viewed as an abstract work, but it is best digested without the usual philosophical meandering and simply taken at face value, and enjoyed through the pace dictated by the characters. In this light, the question is are we not generally the architects of our own distorted existence? Isn't the most vulgar version of oppression one where the powers that be can lay back and pause as we go about carrying out their will, happily and of our own accord? The cinematographer János Zsombolyai employs a visual language that allows us to be present as external observers while at the same time creating moments where we have no choice but to become empathetic participants. The performance of lead actress Ildikó Szabó is also worth highlighting as the schoolgirl would later go on to direct disturbing films such as; Hótreál, the Child Murders and Bitches.
The series is made possible by the Hungarian National Digital Archive and Film Institute (MaNDA)
Presented by: Müpa Budapest
Parking information
We wish to inform you that in the event that Müpa Budapest's underground garage and outdoor car park are operating at full capacity, it is advisable to plan for increased waiting times when you arrive. In order to avoid this, we recommend that you depart for our events in time, so that you you can find the ideal parking spot quickly and smoothly and arrive for our performance in comfort. The Müpa Budapest underground garage gates will be operated by an automatic number plate recognition system. Parking is free of charge for visitors with tickets to any of our paid performances on that given day. The detailed parking policy of Müpa Budapest is available here.
Safe ticket purchase
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