Cinema for me is…
Mónika in 25 frames
1. Describe yourself in ten words
Stubborn, loyal, patient, hard-working, inquisitive, independent, precise, reliable, short-spoken, autonomous.
2. What are your 3 best qualities and your 3 worst habits?
3 best qualities: I like challenges; I’m a quick learner; I can have a good time on my own.
3 worst habits: I’m a hardcore night owl (therefore always tired); I rarely finish what I started; I hate talking on the phone (so I often don’t pick it up).
3. What is your dream job?
I’d say being a film critic, however, I’m also highly interested in dressage.
4. What do you like most about your country?
As someone who writes a lot, I really love my native language. There are tons of different ways to say the same thing, which makes Hungarian one of the most difficult and interesting languages.
5. What is your favourite dish in your country?
Goulash.
6. What is the word or the expression in your native language that you like the most and what does it mean?
“Pengeélen táncol”. It literally means “he dances on a razor’s edge”.
7. What European capital have you visited lately?
I’ve been busy with school lately, so I didn’t really have time to travel abroad.
8. Other than your own, which European country would you love to live in?
Denmark.
9. What does Europe mean to you?
A land of many different and beautiful cultures.
10. What are the European values that you share?
Tolerance, human rights, individual freedom, self-fulfilment, peace.
11. What film made you fall in love with cinema?
Happy Together by Kar Wai Wong (1997)
12. What is your favourite cinema theatre and what do you like about it?
Művész Mozi in Budapest is the cinema where I can spend whole days just working or studying on one of the cozy couches. The atmosphere of the place is simply amazing, the staff is kind and they also have free movie posters.
13. Where do you like to watch movies and on which platform (DVD, online, cinema, mobile phone, etc.)?
I try watching movies in cinema whenever I have the chance.
14. Who is your movie hero?
Eric Draven from The Crow by Alex Proyas.
15. If you were a movie director which one would you like to be?
Terrence Malick.
16. Briefly describe your favourite scene
I love the scene in the beginning of About Elly in which this group of friends arrive to the beach and settle down in the apartment. Without any real plot, Asghar Farhadi very accurately describes the power relations between them, their role in the group, and gives us an insight into local traditions. It is marvellous how a bunch of people simply talking, occasionally singing and dancing can be interesting throughout the first half of a movie set in a single location.
17. What are the 5 best European films you have seen in the last year?
Victoria (Sebastian Schipper, 2015) DE
The Apostate (Federico Veiroj, 2015), ES
Body (Malgorzata Szumowska, 2015), PL
Train to Adulthood (Klára Trencsényi,2015), HU
A Conspiracy of Faith (Hans Petter Moland, 2016), DK
18. Which is the film character that you most identify with?
Gelsomina from La Strada by Federico Fellini
19. What is your favorite soundtrack or song?
I really like Clint Mansell, the original soundtrack of The Fountain by Darren Aronofsky is one of his best works.
20. If you had to live in a movie, which one would you like it to be?
The Boy and The Beast (Mamoru Hosoda)
21. Your life becomes a bio-pic. Who plays the role of you?
Elisabeth Moss.
22. Which talent would you most like to have?
It would be nice if I could draw or paint.
23. What is your most treasured possession?
A pair of inscribed books.
24. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Taking part in the 7th edition of 28 Times Cinema.
25. What is your motto?
No excuses. No apologies. No Regrets.
