Katalin Moldovai's Without Air debuts at Toronto IFF
The Discovery program of one of the world's most prestigious festival, Toronto IFF, was announced today. Katalin Moldovai's first feature film, Without Air has been selected as the only Hungarian work at the 2023 edition beginning on 17 September.
’I was very surprised and delighted that our film was selected into the Discovery program of Toronto International Film Festival. I am very grateful to the crew and everyone who helped to make Without Air’ - said Transylvanian director Katalin Moldovai. As she put it earlier, with the dramatic story of Without Air she wanted to ’delve beneath the surface, peering into the depths of our transgenerational heritage and attempting to uncover its truths’.
Focusing on international films, Toronto's Discovery program had previously welcomed films by artists such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Jafar Panahi, Steve McQueen, Michael Haneke, Christopher Nolan, Lav Diaz, Barry Jenkins, Alfonso Cuarón, Maren Ade, Joachim Trier, David Gordon Green, Pablo Larraín and Jean-Marc Vallée. András Muhi, producer of Without Air claims: ’There are only five film festivals in the world to which I would immediately submit any of my films. Toronto is one of them’.
The story of Without Air is based on true events: Ana, a literature teacher is being accused of misconduct for suggesting Agnieszka Holland’s movie -Total Eclipse- to her 17-year-old students so they can better understand Rimbaud’s work and life. The movie contains homosexuality, which the parent objects to. She starts a struggle to justify herself, and this causes an absurd chain reaction. The school’s principal, Eva slowly withdraws, and this effect good working relationships. The scandal that follows has unforeseeable consequences upon her life, and the life of the student, Victor, whose father makes the complaint. As the case ends up in different court investigations post-socialist fixations comes to surface, and the air around Ana, and Viktor slowly disappear. The main themes of the film are- among others the questions of acceptance, being a teacher, the nature of power and oppression.
Katalin Moldovai's first feature film, Without Air, was produced by Magma Cinema, Spot Film, Salamandra Film and Digital Fiction Studios with the support of the Incubator Program of National Film Institute Hungary, starring Ágnes Krasznahorkai, Tünde Skovrán, Soma Sándor, Áron Dimény, Zsolt Bölönyi and Ágnes Lőrinc. The executive producer is Attila Béla Kovács, producer is András Muhi and Katalin Moldovai, screenwriters are Zita Palóczi and Katalin Moldovai. The film was photographed by András Táborosi, edited by Orsolya Soltész, and the music was composed by Tibor Cári.
Toronto IFF: https://www.tiff.net
WITHOUT AIR teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFmXADbU_C0