The Hungarian Dressmaker
The Hungarian Dressmaker is a 2024 drama film directed by Iveta Grófová. Set in World War II, it tells the story of the Hungarian widow Marika, who hides a Jewish boy from a fascist militia in her house nearby Bratislava. The story is an adaptation of an eponymous novel by Peter Krištúfek.
Plot
Slovak Republic, 1940. The shadow of World War II looms large, and the newly established Slovak state embraces a nationalist ideology that targets minorities. With the expulsion of Czechs complete, the regime sets its sights on the Jewish population, commencing their deportation. Amidst this turmoil, Marika, a Hungarian widow living in a small village, faces the repercussions of this escalating persecution. Having lost her job in Bratislava due to her ethnicity, she now finds her village overrun by the Hlinka Guard, whose mission is to assert Slovak dominance.Marika's situation becomes even more precarious as she secretly shelters a young Jewish boy. Striving to avoid detection, she nevertheless attracts the unwanted attention of two powerful figures: a Slovak Hlinka Guard captain and a German Nazi officer. Caught between their competing interests, Marika must rely on her wits and courage to safeguard the boy and survive in an increasingly dangerous world.
Cast
- Alexandra Borbély
- Milan Ondrík
- Nico Klimek
- Alexander E. Fennon
- Dénes Újlaky
- Florentín Groll
- Éva Bandor
- Ján Mistrík
- László Mátray
- Lili Monori