iffr: nyócker!
A fitting Friday night surprise film at the IFFR, the Hungarian animated feature 'Nyócker!' ('The District!') combines energetic and satirical entertainment, a fresh visual style and streetwise Hungarian hip-hop.
Set in the Eighth District of Budapest, a cultural melting pot dominated by street gangs, prostitutes and corrupt cops, the film focuses on a group of teenagers with a get-rich-fast scheme. What follows is an extravagant 'South Park'-type story moving from 'Romeo & Juliet' (Gipsy Richie and Hungarian Jules) to time travel and escalating into an international oil crisis.
The film makes some sharp social and political statements (mostly anti-American), both in the story and in the aggressive rap lyrics, which survive subtitling quite well if you can keep up with the fast pace.
The gov'ment throws all sorts in 'ere,
Chinese, Arab, Gypsy, queer.
Everything looks grey and brown,
Take one card out and the lot falls down.
Cash makes a dash from hand to hand,
All addin' up in a promised land.
The shit we go through ev'ry day,
It's a bitch of a game, you wanna play?
'Nyócker!' is rich in detail, unpredictable and all over the place -- and if it spins out of control at times, it just adds to the charm.
See also: Filmhu interview with director Áron Gauder and producer Erik Novák.