huberzol

Who would have thought that the first Hungarian superhero would be a refugee? Jupiter's Moon (Jupiter holdja) is not just another movie about men flying around in capes, but about a Syrian boy with mysterious supernatural abilities. The director, Kornél Mundruczó, is famous for his social awareness and his films frequently show the struggle of underdogs. The director decided to focus on the subject of immigration after the chaotic scenes at Budapest's main railway station Keleti pályaudvar in 2015. Mundruczó portrayal does not judge the particular situation and avoids the direct political resonances, but instead he shares his impressions on the general mood in Hungary.

Half fantasy, half drama, Jupiter's Moon is a unique blend of breath-taking action scenes and dark satire questioning the nature of fate and beliefs. The title refers to Jupiter's moon called Europa, reflecting on the current questions our continent needs to face. The story starts at the southern border of Hungary, where the Syrian boy, Aryan, is shot by the border patrol and suddenly starts to float through the air. The refugee camp's Hungarian doctor discovers the strange event and tries to help the boy. The doctor however has ulterior motives and hope to make money from the miracle. The two travel to the capital and meet with very different people who are seeking some kind of salvation.

Set somewhere in the near future, the neon-glowing Budapest is different from what we know today. There is a heavy police presence, disturbing noise and blinking lights everywhere. The audience can feel the paranoia in the air coming across the screen.

The movie is clever enough not to explain the extraordinary and shows us a sharp tableau of an odd journey. The unexpected friendship holds the story together, but every scene and character reflect on the general fear of the unknown. Jupiter's Moon is gritty, heavy and unsettling, but also thought-provoking and rare. Mundruczó successfully captures the turbulent times we are living in.

Film director, Roland Vranik, started to work on this movie way before the summer of 2015, but it became very relevant after the refugee crisis. Vranik wanted to show the Kafkaesque world of Hungarian bureaucracy through the eyes of a refugee, but he choose to alter the story after the big headlines. The movie follows Wilson, a security guard who is applying for Hungarian citizenship and trying to build a new life here. He falls in love with his teacher and helps another refugee, the Iranian Shirin, to get a legal status. However, the officers are unconcerned and rigid.

The Citizen tells a very important story and draws a portrait of who is a good citizen. This is not a movie about immigration, but about the contradicting relationship between the individual and the state. Beneath the surface, Wilson is struggling with the same problems as we do, so we can easily relate to him. Thus, the personal viewpoint avoids stereotypes and offers a natural sympathy between Wilson and the viewer. Vranik made a wise decision choosing an amateur for the main role. Dr. Cake-Baly Marcelo, who came from Bissau-Guinea more than forty years ago, is a perfect match to guide us through this labyrinthine and often cruel process.

In the movie, Wilson does not meet directly with xenophobia or racism, but rather with the reality that the immigration process is just not working. Although he is the employee of the month, finds love and has many friends, he decides to leave and start a life somewhere else. The message is clear, the system does not help, but estranges us; we are either immigrants or locals. The Citizen is a realistic, elegant, warm-hearted and bitter movie, a very emphatic and moderate voice in the hysterical cacophony.