A psychotic killer is on the prowl, slaughtering young women while an innocent man is wrongly accused and sentenced for crimes he could never have committed. A determined detective arrives on the scene and soon becomes obsessed with the case, all the while under pressure from the prosecutor to see a man hang. Stuck in the suffocating social, political and psychological world of socialist Hungary, we soon find ourselves entangled in a web of intricate conspiracy and disturbing drama.

Based on the real-life events that occurred in the provincial Hungary of the 1960s, Árpád Sopsits’ dark tale was not exactly the safest bet to make: it received the restrictive 18+ rating, has a two-hour-long running time, tells the story of atrocious murders that shocked the small Hungarian town of Martfű and was released in cinemas at the same time as two highly anticipated American blockbusters, ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Arrival’, only to mention a few films that were competing for the audience’s attention.

Nevertheless, after its domestic premiere on 10 November 2016, both the industry and the audience had nothing but elated and delighted words to say about the film, which was even called the “best Hungarian film of the year” by one of Hungary’s most popular internet portals, Index.hu. Obviously it didn’t hurt that Cineuropa’s journalist Fabien Lemercier had the following to say about the film after its world premiere at the Warsaw Film Festival in October:

“Brilliantly directed, most notably thanks to the remarkable work of director of photography Gábor Szabó, with its striking nocturnal scenes and an excellent reconstruction of the times in which these events took place. ‘Strangled’ is a thriller not without formal qualities and intensity, built on a screenplay that moves forward relatively astutely along three trajectories (those of the innocent man, the investigation and the killer).”

After its domestic release, the movie was already on its way abroad. ‘Strangled’ was on show at the Cairo International Film Festival and will likely have a successful march on the international festival circuit. That, we believe,
is a safe bet to make.

Here’s what the Critics say

 “There’s an intriguing sense of time and place here; events play out in a small place in an ostensibly simpler time, perhaps, but the political crosswinds are strongly felt and complex. Technical credits are solid in this historical drama. It’s the kind of subject matter which has been appropriated for the small screen of late, but there’s a scope and ambition here which justifies a big-screen release domestically.”
Screendaily.com

 “Based on actual events, Hungarian director Arpád Sopsits has been turning heads with his dark crime thriller ‘Strangled’.” Screenanarchy.com

“A pure genre film of international quality but with an atmosphere and environment that remains quintessentially Hungarian.” Smokingbarrels.com

 “There is no explanation for the evil shown by a serial killer but there is for every other aspect of his character and that’s much more terrifying. 'Strangled’ is the best Hungarian film of the year.”
Index.hu

 “Sopsits’ horror story is an inarguable success and reflects a wealth of professional expertise. Fear and film directing at its highest level.”
Heti Válasz

  “This genre sits particularly well with Sopsits and, assisted by the cinematographer Gábor Szabó, he manages to create a very strong, almost noir effect.”

Filmkultura.hu

 “After a handful of auteur films, Sopsits has eventually created his first authentic genre movie and appears to have made the most successful Hungarian crime movie to date.”
Vox.hu

 “We haven’t seen such a good Hungarian film in a very long time.”

Nyugat.hu 

“… above and beyond excellent storytelling and depiction of an era, the final dramatic twist takes a ‘simple’ detective story and turns it into a crime movie.”

Filmtett

Veronika Jakab