Szabadság, szerelem

I attended the screening for this movie at the Mann Bruin in Westwood. At the end of the movie I did not want to leave my seat. I wanted more. I am not quite sure what I wanted to see? Perhaps a commentary on the lives of the Water Polo Players? I wanted to know what they did after the game? I wanted to know how their lives turned out? I didn't want the movie to end.

The scenes about the AVO brought back sad memories. It was a brutal organization. My family had first hand experience with them. The movie is a "must see" for anyone, not only Hungarians. The sub-titles were easy to follow for anyone who does not speak the language.

The movie was emotional and especially meaningful to me. I left Hungary in 1956.

October 22, 2007. Does anyone have any idea why this movie is not available anywhere here in the USA? I have purchased 4 DVDs for my family on our recent trip to Hungary, only to find out that we cannot play them on our DVD players (Region 1) It is very disappointing.

In Budapest, the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 is beginning while the water polo team is training for the Melbourne Olympic Games. The player Karcsi Szabó (Iván Fenyö) meets the revolutionary student leader Viki Falk (Kata Dobó) and they fall in love for each other. When the Soviet force withdraws Budapest, Karcsi decides to rejoin the team and travel to Melbourne to participate in the Olympic Games. However, a larger Soviet force returns and invades Budapest, killing thousands of Hungarians and suppressing the resistance. Meanwhile, Karcsi and his team dispute the "Blood in the Water" match against the Soviets.

"Szabadság, Szerelem" is an impressive movie about two historic facts: the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and the "Blood in the Water" match in the Melbourne Olympic Games. The director Krisztina Goda and the writers Joe Eszterhas, Éva Gárdos, Géza Bereményi and Réka Divinyi succeed in promoting the Fiftieth Anniversary of the bloody revolution in his country, unknown for many people, through an engaging and full of emotions movie developed in a perfect pace. The dramatic story uses the romance and chemistry of two charismatic characters performed by Iván Fenyö and the gorgeous Kata Dobó associated to sports, more specifically water polo, and a magnificent team of actors, actresses and stunts, to disclose the foregoing historic events. The cinematography, art decoration and costumes give a wonderful reconstitution of Hungry in the 50's, associated to a stunning and touching soundtrack and great special effects. The story concludes with golden key with the wise message that "freedom is the greatest gift of all". My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Sangue nas Águas" ("Blood in the Water")

Note: On 30 January 2016 I saw this movie again.

Hungarians are people of wars of independence. They can't stand oppression for a long time. They had wars of independence against Ottomans, Habsburgs and in 1956 against the Soviets. However there are very many exciting stories of the Hungarian history, unfortunately there are very few movies about them. This one commemorates the heroic freedom fighters of Budapest. The Hungarian title "Szabadság szerelem" (in English: Freedom and love) is a historical reference to a poem of Petöfi Sándor, the famous poet and revolutionist of the Hungarian revolution and war of independence of 1848.

You must see this movie to understand peoples of Central and Eastern-Europe and their history. They are all victims of the worst and perhaps the cruelest dictatorship ever in the world. I love this movie. And after that I must say: I'm proud to be a Hungarian.

As an American living in Hungary, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and hope that many of my friends living in the states will see it to better understand the Hungarian culture.

As always in a film, there were a few liberties taken with historical facts, but these were not huge and did not destroy the film. It was particularly timely with the riots this year in the streets of Budapest. The courage displayed and the sense of hope in a seemingly hopeless situation made the film especially poignant.

A film worth seeing. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in European history, courage, and Hungarians.

I'm so proud of all the Hungarian movie makers, actors, actresses, and sportsmen who took part in the creation of this great film. I've not seen such a flawless screenplay long time ago. It's shocking but glorious, full of emotion, will and act for achieving freedom and victory. Absulutely raises a worthy monument to the memory of the Hungarian revolution and war of independence and its heroes in 1956.

Few days before the 50th anniversary of 23rd October this is the best time to remember and meditate on. That's the reason why I think this film should be seen by everyone, and not just within the borders of Hungary.