WINGS OVER BUDAPEST

This film takes the viewer back to the winter of 1945, into the heart of the Siege of Budapest—an urban battlefield where 70–80% of the city was damaged, all five bridges were destroyed within days, and 800,000 civilians were trapped without food, heat, or escape. Through reconstructed scenes and archival references, the story evokes not only the physical devastation but the profound psychological shock that still reverberates through Hungarian families today.

Generational trauma becomes a central motif: the film shows how fear, survival patterns, and loss imprint themselves on descendants, shaping behaviors and identities decades later. Personal memories—such as a my grandmother’s compulsive hoarding after losing her children, husband, and brothers—illustrate the human cost far beyond military history.

At the center stands Anikó, a real woman whose archived photos were used to create a virtual double. Her vulnerable on-screen presence symbolizes both individual fragility and the nation’s precarious position throughout history. The choice to portray her with minimal protection reflects the helplessness Hungary experienced—and the unsettling possibility that such vulnerability could return.

The film is also a tribute to cultural memory: historical images, especially from Fortepan, are reinterpreted as cinematic locations, reminding viewers how easily heritage can be reduced to rubble. The appearance of the Saker falconserves as a symbolic guardian of resilience, freedom, and national identity of Hungary.

Ultimately, the synopsis underscores the responsibility of remembering. Peace and stability are fragile achievements, maintained through awareness, empathy, and the courage to confront the wounds carried across generations.

*The black-and-white photos among the uploaded images are original 1945 photographs from the Fortepan historical archive. I used them as an input frame for the AI generated scenes.