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    • NTC Award Ceremony
      New Talent Competition gives young filmmakers from Central, Eastern and Southern Europe the opportunity to present their outstanding debut or second film to the public. Join us on Sunday 1 December at 19h
    • Music at ENFF
      The Eastern Neighbours Film Festival welcomes special musical guests each year to enrich our program. For this 16th edition, we’re thrilled to present two talented young musicians: guitarist Antonio Peršak (CR) and violinist İdil Yunkuş (TR). Together, they will perform a traditional Balkan dance and folk song, highlighting the beauty of this music through the… Read more: Music at ENFF
    • Masterclass with Janez Burger
      This masterclass presents a unique opportunity to explore Burger's distinct storytelling style, genre use, and exploration of contemporary social issues. Join us on Saturday 30 November at 17h - Room 5
    • Panel Discussion: Exploration of individual and collective memory in cinema
      Panel Discussion: Exploration of individual and collective memory in cinema on Friday 29 November at 18h

Paying a Visit to Fortuna

Incredible story of a middle aged couple with an almost fairy-tale-like scenario from rags to riches. Director Matyas Kalman stayed close with the family for almost four years, filming them from a non-judgemental distance and observing their highs, their lows and their deeply touching emotional connection to each other.

Synopsis

The documentary follows Aniko and Laci, two impoverished people whose fortune, or rather the sheer lack of it, changed fundamentally in 2013 following a big lottery win. Having lived a life of poverty, trauma and depression, the course of their existence changes in the blink of an eye when they win a 2 million euro lottery prize. But will money buy them happiness? They dive into a life of luxury, with mansions, pools, fancy cars, driver and real estate investments. And they do so with undoubted love and commitment to each other. But the lifestyle changes that big money brings with it slowly start to drift the couple apart. For her, cash is empowering and an opportunity to be an entrepreneur. While for him, prosperity is the privilege of not working, the freedom to finally go discover the world. 

FORTUNA VENDEGEI

Hungary, Croatia | 2022 | 74 min

DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHY: Matyas Kalman

PRODUCTION: Matyas Kalman – COLLOC Productions; Agnes Horvath-Szabo – ELF Pictures; Peglanje Snova, Kompot

EDITING: Ivor Sonje

SOUND: Luka Gamulic

MUSIC: Matej Merlic

SCREENING: Thursday 24.11. / 17:20h / Zaal 2 & Saturday 26.11. / 12:30h / Zaal 5

The screening will be followed by Q&A with director Matyas Kalman. Dutch Premiere

Director’s bio

Matyas Kalman graduated as a media designer from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest. He has worked as a video journalist and Head of Video for major Hungarian news portals, Index.hu and 24.hu. In 2017 and 2022, he was a guest lecturer at ELTE University Department of Media and Communication, teaching creative documentary and video journalism. Currently, he runs his own production company, COLLOC Productions.

Festivals & Awards (selection)

Sarajevo Film Festival, 2022