An Hungarian youth comes of age at Buchenwald during World War II. György Köves is 14, the son of a merchant who's sent to a forced labor camp. After his father's departure, György gets a job at a brickyard; his bus is stopped and its Jewish occupants sent to camps. There, György find camaraderie, suffering, cruelty, illness, and death. He hears advice on preserving one's dignity and self-esteem. He discovers hatred. If he does survive and returns to Budapest, what will he find? What is natural; what is it to be a Jew? Sepia, black and white, and color alternate to shade the mood.
When Hungary's newest prime minister is shot and killed at a reception, the resulting investigation is necessarily swift and comprehensive. This compelling political thriller uncovers two prime suspects: the woman who guns the leader down, and a man who was friends with both the prime minister and his murderer. Using video surveillance footage, as well as other more artful and symbolic imagery, the noted "visualist" director Miklos Jancso, who is known for his craft in getting his points across non-verbally, combines fantasy and reality in a highly ironic manner.
Imre Horváth and his friends gather to celebrate his wife's birthday. They are confused because of the changes in the country's politics and want Horváth to be much more active politically, but he is more concerned about his affair with his best friend's daughter.
Kohán Imre, an adolescent kid under state care, is taken to the school resort house in the Bükk mountains with tuberculosis. He falls in love with Nurse Katica, not much older than him, and she makes friends with this open and sincere boy. Imre also finds friends among his class-mates and gains recognition for his brave behaviour.
The unique statue of the ancient fertility goddess Demeter, known as the "Pagan Madonna" is stolen from the museum, located in a small town on Lake Balaton. At the same time seriously wounded a servant of the museum. The abduction of the museum's priceless statues of pure gold is investigated by the then young and inexperienced investigator Kardos and lieutenant "Droplet".
The film director starts shooting his film about the manager of a large corporation who committed suicide for mysterious reasons. As the cumbersome process of making a film goes along, everybody involved in it starts having differing opinions of the tragedy, its causes and its victim.
