The film was directed by Márta Mészáros, a Hungarian woman and the daughter of a renowned sculptor and communist activist. She is the author, among other works, of "Diary for My Children", for which she received the Special Award at Cannes in 1982. In her works, she portrayed strong, emancipated women independently grappling with life's problems. In her private life, she was a friend of Erzsébet Nagy, the daughter of Imre Nagy, to whom the film "Unburied" is entirely devoted.
Imre Nagy, played by Nowicki in "Unburied", was the prime minister of communist Hungary. He was also one of those who wanted his country to be sovereign. As prime minister, he announced Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact. He negotiated with the Soviets over the withdrawal of the Soviet Army. In 1956, he was overthrown by communists subservient to Russia. He was deceitfully arrested, interned, and then imprisoned in a Hungarian prison, where, after a sham trial in 1958, he was sentenced to death by hanging. He was murdered because János Kádár, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party, feared his legend. Nagy's remains were buried in a rubbish dump. Thanks to his daughter's efforts, he was rehabilitated in 1989. His remains were exhumed at that time as well.
The result was an intimate film whose action takes place mainly in a prison. Fragments of authentic documents about Nagy were incorporated into the film, undoubtedly enhancing its dramatic impact. One of the final scenes uses footage from 1989, showing the exhumation of the prime minister's remains. The murdered man's daughter can then be seen on screen. In the story, we observe the solitary struggle of a hero who remained faithful to his convictions to the end and defended his dignity to the end. The scenes were, in fact, filmed in a real prison.
Jan Nowicki admitted that many people had told him this was the best role of his life. Indeed, he played it very convincingly. However, as he told the audience gathered at Orzeł, he did not fully resemble the Hungarian prime minister. Nagy, aptly reflecting his surname ("nagy" means "great, big" in Hungarian), was a stout man. The role required sacrifices. For the film, Nowicki sometimes gained weight and sometimes lost it. But, in the actor's opinion, it was definitely worth it. He said that the result was a film that would "endure" and that, although it tells the story of events from 50 years ago, remains relevant.
The actor also addressed many other topics. There was talk of television series being a drug for the masses. The actor distanced himself from his role in "Magda M." He said that being an actor nowadays can be a humiliating occupation. Therefore, he is aware of how fortunate he was to receive the offer to play Imre Nagy. He also discussed the state of both Polish and Hungarian cinema. He spoke about old age, his attitude toward popularity, women born under the sign of Leo, and why Monika Brodka is not his favorite singer. He also announced that he would return to Bolesławiec in the autumn, this time promoting Filip Bajon's "The Foundation".
It was just a shame that approximately 30 people came to see the intriguing film and meet the outstanding actor.
Updated 2007-04-30 13:31
Bolesławiec Cultural Centre informed us that 71 people attended the meeting. We apologize for the mistake.
(GA report)