Iska’s Journey

IKSA'S JOURNEY is an extraordinary Hungarian film featuring resilience against seemingly insurmountable odds. Since the fall of Communism, the formerly coal-wealthy Zsil river valley has become one of the most poverty-stricken corners of Romania. Children eke out a bare existence, picking out scrap metal from coal pits to sell for a few coins. Director Csaba Bollók discovered young actress Maria Varga there, leading much the same life as she does in his film. In ISKA's JOURNEY, Varga plays 12-year-old Iska, and her real-life sister (Rózsika Varga) plays ailing sister Rosie. The girls are treated abysmally by their alcoholic parents. A mysterious stranger takes the girls to an orphanage, where Iska and a boy form a friendship that requires few words. They become determined to escape by train to the seaside and some sort of future. When unscrupulous men kidnap Iska and a number of other young girls, though, it becomes clear that the next part of her journey will include neither her friend nor their dreams. Absolutely breathtaking natural performances by the young lead actors make this a film that will haunt you for a very long time. (In Hungarian and Romanian with English subtitles) – BB