Hungarian auteur Gábor Reisz’s new film, *Ground Floor*, premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, September 10. The film, starring Ádám Tompa, is a satirical look at societal apathy and political issues, framed around a man’s struggle with mold in his apartment building.
Reisz’s previous film, *Explanation for Everything*, won best film in Venice’s Horizons program in 2023. *Ground Floor* follows Kristóf, a failed artist, who discovers mold in his apartment on the same day he learns his wife is pregnant. He is spurred to action to address the issue, despite not knowing his neighbors. The film asks whether the building or Kristóf’s apathy will break down first, describing the story as a “tragicomic domestic revolution.” Rodrigo Crespo, Bettina Józsa, Tünde Bacskó, György Gazsó, Juli Kindl, Éva Tímár and Marcello Fonte also star.
The idea for the film originated with producer Júlia Berkes, who envisioned a story set during a mandatory Hungarian apartment building residents’ meeting. Reisz explained these meetings are “really specific to our [country]” and often filled with arguments over building maintenance and finances. He felt the setting was particularly relevant in 2024, given the political climate in Hungary.
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