Hungary 2023, 52/80 min, HDA Makabor Studio Production
by Kata Oláh
Narrow Path to Happiness
A dream so absurd that it seems impossible: making a musical film based on their lives as a young gay Romani couple from a remote village. Against all odds, they move to Budapest just as the Hungarian government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and hostile towards LGBTQ+ people."... A delightful love story that emerges from the most unexpected place to delightfully evoke the conventions of family, gender, culture and fame.”
– Thessaloniki Jury
Gergő and Lénárd are a young gay male couple living in a remote Roma settlement in the poorest part of Hungary. They live in a community where being gay is considered an unforgivable sin, yet they dream of making a musical film about their lives and becoming famous. They could continue to live out their lives within this hostile environment, but to make their dream come true they have to move to Budapest, where LGBTQ+ life is more open and available, and collaborations with musicians and artists are abundant. When the sudden death of Gergő’s mother brings a tragic wrinkle to their story, they return to the family who disowned them for one final reckoning, helping them to accept their gay identities, the key to their own acceptance and their own chance at happiness.
Thessaloniki (International Premiere), Pink Apple, DocBarcelona, Insideout, Cinema Diverse, Perlen-Queer, Bangkok, Mezoughi Queer, Qdoc-Portland, Merlinka, Budapest (National Premiere)