Karcsi, a Roma policeman, lives with Eva, a Swede. One day he is called to the scene of the murder of a wealthy trafficker named Schulter. He begins to investigate the crime, interrogate neighbours and suspects, and untangle a complex situation - one that he, himself, complicates even further. For he is a gypsy, who despite being adopted and raised by "regular" Hungarians, has his nose rubbed in his minority status every day. The film, which is based on the novel by Ákos Kertész, is a shrewd genre work full of dusky humour and surreal situations. Tabló follows a vivid succession of strange images that eventually lead to the emergence of the central story about a charismatic police officer on a tireless quest for the truth, though he must fight against virtually everyone and is just as fallible as the next person. Tabló makes a statement on the issue of race and racism - or, indeed, relations between any minority and majority.
Acting
Zoltán Mucsi carries every scene like the world's on his shoulders.
Direction
Dettre balances absurdist humor with crushing social commentary.
Writing
The novel's dense irony survives translation to visual storytelling.
Director
Gábor Dettre
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Ákos Kertész's novel, itself controversial — Kertész later emigrated to Canada citing anti-Roma sentiment in Hungarian literary circles. The film's production occurred during rising nationalist politics that would eventually produce Hungary's current regime.
The title 'Tabló' refers both to police photo arrays and to portrait paintings — the film constantly asks who gets to frame the image of 'the other.' Karcsi's investigation mirrors the audience's: we're all trying to read faces for truth we'll never fully access.
HU
