Picture to download Prizes: 1998 - Tromso International Film Festival Audience's Prize 1997 - Brussels L’Age d’Or Age d'Or Prize 1997 - Budapest Hungarian Film Week Best Cinematography: Tibor Máthé Gene Moskowitz Prize 1997 - Chicago International Film Festival Best Cinematography: Tibor Máthé 1997 - Ghent Flanders International Film Festival Main Prize 1997 - Moscow International Film Festival FIPRESCI Prize Best Director

The Witman Boys (Witman fiúk) (1997, feature, 35mm, colour, 95 min.) Director: János Szász Screenplay: János Szász Based on: Géza Csáth Story editor: András Szeredás Director of photography: Tibor Máthé Editor: Anna Kornis Sound: István Sipos Visual design: József Romvári Costumes: Ágnes Jodál Production manager: Zoltán Gulyás, Viera Rezniczkova, Gábor Újházy Producer: Ferenc Kardos, Ferenc Tolvaj, Jean-Paul DeKiss, Jecek Moczydlowski, Éva Schulze, György Marosi Production company: Budapest Film Studio, Mafilm, MTM, Studio Filmowe Zebra (Warsaw), 47ème Paralèlle (Paris), Hungarian Television Cast: Alpár Fogarasi, Szabolcs Gergely, Maia Morgenstern, Lajos Kovács, Dominka Ostalowska Dénes Witman, a tax-officer, dies easily leaving not much sorrow behind. His funeral is short and unpassionate. Beside the family only an owl on the tree above the tomb honours the farewell. Mrs. Witman, the rather selfish widow, does not care about her sons. She beats them as rarely as she kisses them. The fourteen year-old Witman boys are left alone, the family instantly breaking up with the death of their father. There are no laws... so they create them. They are desperately searching for the meaning of their little lives. Winter is passing slowly but their discovery, leading through tortured souls and bodies, does not lead to a conclusion. They eventually arrive at a girl’s room in a shabby house whose red light above its entrance shines light on mysteries, pain and beauty. It’s here in the wretched brothel where they find what they have been looking for. The girl is very kind to them but soon she has enough of the persistent, unexpected visitors and next time she lets them in only if they bring a present to her, anything... The Witman boys discover the present around their mother’s neck.... a ruby.