The Restless Hungarian

This film captures the uncertainty and disembodiment caused by abandonment; losing faith that one deserves a healthy relationship, making one's way alone in the world, and searching for connection. The story is told through Tom Weidlinger's quest to understand his father, Paul Weidlinger's, life and motivations. I was struck by both Tom and Paul's resilience under extreme adversity, their creativity in finding solutions, their dedications to their craft, their reach for beauty, and the dysfunction that wreaked havoc on the people around them. In addition, I gained an intimate insight into the culture and events that shaped the world leading up to World War II. The soaring glimpse of the Joy of Space through the images of the buildings that Paul brought to the world truly inspired me.

Occasionally a film comes along which covers a multitude of topics and yet weaves them into a coherent and compelling story. What starts as a reflection on a personal crisis quickly explodes into a layered exploration of the history of a century, seen through the eyes of fascinating people form three continents and many walks of life. While it stays firmly on the tracks of an engrossing family history, its many sidings visit such topics as war, avant-garde art, the holocaust, architecture, bohemian life, immigration, adventure and travel, mental health and identity. And while all of this sounds like too much to fit in one story, each of these gets its due attention through rounded and skillful direction, so that the film seems to end only too quickly, in spite of its feature length.

Here is a 20-tieth century story of one more brilliant world-famous Hungarian. However one can hardly find people who know his name in Hungary today. He was not accepted in his homeland. He had to leave Europe to save his mere life. He found an asylum and reached fame on the other side of the world. But the price he had to pay was high... I think this beautiful, honest and deeply moving film is worth seeing for all interested in history, culture, biographies and family stories. I find this an unconventional documentary full of dramatic and artistic elements. As a Hungarian I especially liked in it to see my country through the eyes of an American brave and devoted to explore.

The documentary was, for me, a transformative experience. It is both personal and universal, touching key turning points in 20th century history as well as the hopes, fears and aspirations of the filmmakers family. There is also here a story of intergenerational healing - of reaching back into the suffering experienced by parents and grandparents and acknowledging those experiences in a way that they, themselves, could not articulate.

Do not watch this film is you are merely looking for entertainment. Do watch it if you are open to a profound experience. It is unlike any other film I have seen.

Tom Weidlinger's cinematic biography of his father, Paul, is a complex film that touches upon a number of familiar themes, such as Europe between the World Wars, the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, and the rewards and stresses of emigration.

Paul Weidlinger's essential contributions to urban monumental architecture and sculpture tend to be obscured by the names of the world-famous architects and artists who designed the works that were erected with the expertise of Weidlinger's structural engineering firm.

Paul Weidlinger is presented as an energetic, highly gifted egotist, whose path through life had heartrending consequences for his family. In this regard, the film can be compared to other biographies of famous parents created by their children, and it raises the question of what do offspring owe their parents, particularly those who abused them.

The film is well constructed and beautifully photographed. The reenactments, which Tom Weidlinger often includes in his films, are a perfect touch. Watch the film and then replay the images as you read the excellent book that accompanies it.