Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Hungarian Filmmaker Béla Tarr Dies at 70

Tributes focus on a slow‑cinema pioneer known for long takes, mentorship, institutional work.

Overview

  • Hungary’s MTI news agency, citing the family, said Tarr died on 6 January after a long illness.
  • The European Film Academy issued a condolence statement praising his artistic stature and political voice.
  • His landmark black‑and‑white epics — including the seven‑plus‑hour Sátántangó (1994) and Werckmeister Harmonies (2000) — defined a slow‑cinema aesthetic of extended takes and sparse dialogue.
  • The Turin Horse (2011) was his final feature, winning the Berlinale Jury Grand Prix, and capped a long collaboration with novelist László Krasznahorkai.
  • He later prioritized education, founding the film.factory school in Sarajevo in 2013, supported FreeSZFE in Hungary, and was honored with a European Film Academy award in 2023.