Abandoned (Torzók)

Hungary, 1960 - a few years after the revolution and during a time of social uncertainty and harsh living conditions. Young Aaron's father leaves him at an orphanage where rigid discipline dominates and where children are subjected to extreme cruelties. Bewildered at first, Aaron is punished by the other boys but is soon accepted as a fellow sufferer. The director of the home is a devoutly religious martinet and takes every opportunity to punish the boys. Even under these brutal conditions, however, the innate goodness and humanity of these young children cannot be extinguished and provide whatever redemption exists in their lives. It is a moving story of the survival of a young boy's spirit in the face of pervasive oppression by a society that ignores the human condition. Recreating part of his childhood, renowned Hungarian director Sopsits presents a moving autobiographical coming-of-age story about innocence, cruelty, and sexual awakening.