With a self-assured style that resonates throughout this carefully crafted, award-winning drama, Kornél Mundruczó confirms his place among Hungary's finest directors.
In a timeless, remote region of the Danube Delta, a young man (Félix Lajkó, who also composed music for the film) returns to his serene birthplace. However, the land's natural beauty is soon tarnished by its coarse, aggressive inhabitants. When the man and his estranged sister (Mundruczó regular Orsi Tóth) attempt to rebuild their deceased father's rundown shack, they upset their family and anger the local residents, who react viciously against their unusually intimate bond. This chain of events ultimately culminates in a disastrous, violent climax.
While Mundruczó's characters can come across as deviants, occupying a space beyond the boundaries of traditional moral principles, their authenticity and ultimate decency scramble everyday notions of suitable social behaviour. Their minimally illustrated yet ethically complex struggle deals not so much with taboos, but rather with the courage and freedom it takes to accept an instinctive allure to one's own blood relative, even when that desire breaks with social conventions. Moreover, the film deals with the barriers we produce as a society and those who believe they have the authority to persecute certain individuals who do not ideally fit the status quo.
Delta has already garnered international acclaim and owes much to the compelling performances of its young leads. The film was shot in Romania's exotic Danube Delta and Mátyás Erdély's cinematography captures the striking drama of that landscape. The region's breathtaking natural phenomena – including a turtle thought by the sister to be the reincarnation of her father – becomes, in a way, one of the lead characters in the film. Delta is a provocative work that confronts its audience but rewards each viewer with an immensely powerful outcome.
Dimitri Eipides
Kornél Mundruczó was born in Hungary and studied at the Hungarian Academy of Drama and Film. His first short film, Day After Day (01), was recognized with multiple international awards. In addition to making several other short films over the span of his career, he has also directed three features: Pleasant Days (02), Johanna (05) and Delta (08).