‘The Turin Horse’ director Bela Tarr passes away at 70: ‘An outstanding director and a personality with a strong political voice’

Trigger warning: The article contains mention of death.Veteran Hungarian director Bela Tarr has passed away at the age of 70. The famed director, who was best known for his work in ‘The Turin Horse’ and ‘The Man from London’, leaves behind a legacy as he was termed the titan of slow-moving cinema.The news was confirmed by news agency MTI, through his fellow director and filmmaker Bence Fliegauf. The European Film Academy also shared a statement on the director’s demise, sharing that he passed away “after a long and serious illness.” He passed away on January 6. No other details have been shared with the public.The statement further added that it “mourns an outstanding director and a personality with a strong political voice, who is not only deeply respected by his colleagues but also celebrated by audiences worldwide.

The grieving family asks for the understanding of the press and the public and that they not be sought for a statement during these difficult days.”

Know all about ‘Satantango’ director Bela Tarr

Bela Tarr was a pioneer in the film industry and was best known for his unique and different style of filmmaking. He was known for using long and uninterrupted scenes, in a black and white setting, to tell stories through his films. Tarr was born in Pécs, Hungary, in 1955, and started his career by working at one of Hungary’s most well-known studios for experimental films.

He made his directorial debut with 1977’s ‘Family Nest’, for which he won the Grand Prix at the Mannheim Film Festival.Rather than continuing with work, after the success of his directorial debut, Tarr enrolled in the Academy of Theatre and Film in Budapest for further education. He officially graduated in 1982. He started a studio after his graduation, which remained open for at least three years. His rise to international fame came in 1988, after his film ‘Damnation’ became popular overseas.

The film also managed to help him land the Best Young Film Award at the European Film Awards.Throughout his career, he worked on nine feature films, one TV film, four short films, and three documentaries. He is best known for his 1994 feature titled ‘Satantango.’ The film is about a small village in Hungary that deals with the repercussions as communism falls apart. It was an epic drama film, ran for 7 hours long, and was based on the novel by author László Krasznahorkai.