Hukkle (2001)

Hukkle, named for the sound of an old man's hiccups, which recur throughout the film, is a nearly wordless aural and visual exploration of life in a depressed Hungarian town. Director György Pálfi uses extreme close-ups and slow motion to look at both human and natural life in the town. As the film progresses, a few narrative threads emerge. A cart driver spies on a young shepherd girl. A man and woman proudly watch as their prize hogs mate. The farming and manufacturing work of the town continues. The women seem to work harder than the men. An old woman prepares a meal for her family. A cat and a little girl die soon after eating from the same dish. A beekeeper crushes a bee between his fingers. A mole catches and eats a worm, only to be slaughtered by a gardener's hoe. As a murder mystery slowly unravels, a policeman contemplates taking action, though he knows it will rock the town to its foundations. Hukkle was shown at the 2002 Toronto Film Festival and at the 2003 edition of New Directors/New Films. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi