From September 27th to 29th, the second Hungarian Film Festival will be held in commemoration of Mari Törőcsik. The festival's program will highlight significant Hungarian cinema feature films from 2023, presented at Carlton Cinema.
MARI TÖRŐCSIK
Mari Törőcsik (1935–2021) was a celebrated Hungarian actress of international acclaim. Throughout her prolific career spanning from 1956 to 2020, she made significant contributions to cinema, theater, and television. Törőcsik garnered attention on the global stage with her debut at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival in the Palme d'Or contender "Körhinta" (Merry-Go-Round), directed by Zoltán Fábri. Her portrayal of a young farmer girl entangled in forbidden love earned accolades from notable figures such as Francois Truffaut and Jean Cocteau, with Truffaut dubbing her the festival's standout star.
Over five decades, Törőcsik portrayed over 100 characters, collaborating with esteemed directors including Fábri, Miklós Jancsó, Márta Mészáros, and Károly Makk. Her films graced the screens of Cannes, captivating audiences with performances in works such as Fábri’s "Édes Anna" (Anna), Jancsó’s "Szerelemem, Elektra" (Electra My Love), Makk’s "Szerelem" (Love), and Gyula Maár’s "Déryné, hol van?" (Mrs. Déry, Where Are You?).
Although she narrowly missed the Cannes Best Actress Award in 1971 for her role in Makk’s "Szerelem" (Love), Törőcsik clinched the prestigious honor in 1976 for her portrayal in "Déryné, hol van?" (Mrs. Déry, Where Are You?), depicting an aging theater actress. Her talent also shone in two Hungarian films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar: Zoltán Fábri’s adaptation of Ferenc Molnár’s novel, "A Pál utcai fiúk" (The Boys of Paul Street) in 1968, and Makk’s "Macskajáték" (Catsplay) in 1975.
International audiences further admired Törőcsik in Péter Gárdos’s 1984 film "Szamárköhögés" (Whooping Cough), which earned top honors at the Chicago Film Festival in 1987, Costa Gavras’s Golden Bear-winning "Music Box" in 1989, and István Szabó’s Oscar-winning "Napfény íze" (Sunshine). Her illustrious career concluded with the lead role in Mészáros’ historical drama "Aurora Borealis – Északi fény" (Aurora Borealis – Northern Lights) in 2017.
Photo by FORTEPAN/FSZEK BUDAPEST GYÚJTEMÉNY/ SÁNDOR GYÖRGY
Photo by Gaspar Stekovics