Oliara

The 30s of the last century. Hungarian Istvan Magyar, a member of the International Communist International, is sentenced to death by firing squad. However, he is being sent from Moscow to the Kazakh steppe to atone for his "political guilt." He gets into the operational detachment of the OGPU of Karabai, which is engaged in the search and confiscation of Kulak cattle. The photographer of the Red Army detachment, Istvan Magyar, on a campaign across the winter steppe for the cattle of the poor, changes his views on the revolution. From the position of a European and a humanist, Istvan is stunned by the Holodomor and the brutality of the OGPU fighters. A Hungarian communist rebels and finds like-minded locals in Kubabas village. Together they are trying to fight the red tyranny.

Directed by Tamás Tóth, Oliara leans on a strong ensemble — Péter Bárnai — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2023.