Written by Dénes Nagy after Pál Závada’s novel Természetes fény, the script is set in World War II. In that period, more than 100,000 Hungarian soldiers were serving on the occupied territories of the Soviet Union. Their main task was the elimination of illegal partisan groups and, in the first years of the war, the general staff gave them orders to burn to the ground the villages where partisans were active. Sub-lieutenant István Semetka is a simple, goodhearted farmer who has been drafted to join a Hungarian partisan-hunting unit. Tired and dirty, his company are marching through an endless swampy forest, moving from village to village. While they live in constant fear of the invisible enemy, Semetka tries to stick to the everyday routines that link him to home. One day, his unit is sent on a mission to a remote village. Over the course of the night, they come under enemy fire, their commander is shot dead, and Semetka must overcome his fear and take command…

Details: https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/380599/ 

Photos: Dobos Tamás