My 20th Century

My 20th Century
Directed by Ildikó Enyedi
Produced by Archy Dolder
Norbert Friedländer
Gábor Sarudi
Andrej Schwartz
Written by Ildikó Enyedi
Starring Dorota Segda
Music by László Vidovszky
Cinematography Tibor Máthé
Edited by Mária Rigó
Distributed by Aries Films (USA)
Release dates
 September 15, 1989
Running time
 102 minsutes
Country Hungary
Germany
Cuba
Language Hungarian

My 20th Century (Hungarian: Az én XX. századom) is a 1989 Hungarian comedy-drama film written and directed by Ildikó Enyedi. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Enyedi won the Golden Camera award at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.[1]

Plot

In Budapest in 1880 two twin daughters, Dóra and Lili are born. After their mother dies the twins support themselves by selling matches in the street. When they fall asleep one night two men take their matches and, after a coin flip, each takes a girl and go their separate ways.

On New Year's Eve 1900 Dóra, a grifter, finds herself aboard the Orient Express trying to scam two men out of money. In Austria Lili, now a revolutionary, boards the train where she is briefly seen by Dóra, who is drunk and instantly forgets her.

At a library Lili encounters Z, a man who will not stop staring at her. The two become acquainted and Z falls in love with her but Lili, who is carrying a bomb which she plans to use to kill the minister of the interior, remains focused on her politics even when her plot fails.

Later, Z encounters Dóra on a boat. Believing her to be Lili he gives her the number of his cabin where she robs him and the two later have sex.

When Z and Lili meet again he takes her to his apartment. Lili, who had previously sexually rejected Z apologies to him and tells him she regrets her previous decision. Believing that Lili is apologizing for robbing him Z takes her to his apartment and they have sex. The following evening Lili attacks the minister with a bomb, but after looking into his eyes she blows out the bomb and runs away. Seeking refuge from a crowd of police Lili hides in a fun house where, turning a corner, she sees Dóra. Z finds his way there as well and briefly sees them both together before the two run away from him.

Cast

References

  1. ↑ "Festival de Cannes: My 20th Century". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-08-02.

External links