Budapest Silo 


Short documentary
25’ Hungary


Synopsis:

József has been working at the largest still-operational grain mill in Budapest, Hungary for over 30 years. During the day, he wanders through the thick coat of dust which covers every corner of the monstrous maze-like entrails of the mill. Then, like a diver, he descends into the 25-meters-deep silos, surrounded by darkness, he undertakes the seemingly hopeless task of cleaning them, brushing the dust away. József has been suffering from the effects of long-term grain dust on his lungs, yet, he seems unable to escape the mill. An unspoken bond seem to tie them together, at night, from the window of his small trailer he watches over the menacing concrete structure, while during the day, hanging from his harness, utterly alone, he performs dazzling, dizzying dance-like movements in the depths of the silo, his body is feels light as if swimming.




Director, Producer: Zsófia Paczolay
Co-Director: Nora Ananyan
Producer, Editor: Bálint Bíró
Cinematography: Ezequiel Salinas
Sound design: Ádám Gyöngyösi
Music: Andor Sperling
Editing Supervisor: Marianna Rudas

Festivals:
IDFA 2022 - Competition for Short Documentary
Millennium Docs Against Gravity 2023 - Winner - Best Short Film award
BelDocs 2023- Short Competition - Winner - Best Short film award
Friss Hús XI. - Competition for Best Documentary
Zsigmond Vilmos Film Festival 2023 - Critics Choice Award Winner
CamerImage 2023 - Short Documentary Competition
Hungarian Film Critics Choice Award 2023: Special Mention
FipaDoc, Biarritz 2024
Verzió International Documentary Film Festival: Special Mention






 
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Bálint Bíró