Chennai International Film Festival

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Mastergame

Spain, United States| 90 mins | 2023 |English

Barnabás Tóth’s psychological thriller reimagines Stefan Zweig’s The Royal Game amidst the turmoil of Hungary in November 1956. Márta (Sára Varga-Járó) and István (Gergely Váradi) board the last refugee train to escape with precious church relics, their path fraught with danger as government agents interrogate Father B (Károly Hajduk) for the route to freedom. Onboard, a high-stakes chess game intertwines their fates, where the relics’ survival and the lovers’ lives hang in the balance. With unexpected twists and gripping tension, Tóth delivers a cinematic masterpiece, redefining Hungarian storytelling on the global stage.

Director
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Two-time Oscar shortlisted Hungarian writer, director and actor. His second feature “Those Who Remained” (2019) premiered at Telluride Film Festival and shortlisted for Best International Film Category for the Oscars in 2020. His short film “Chuchotage” (2018) has been shortlisted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 91th Oscars in 2019. His short film “My Guide” (2013) has been viewed by over 1,5 million times on Vimeo within a week. With Master game (2023), his third feature he won Excellence in Film Directing Award at Stony Brook Festival, New York, and Best Film Award in various international film festivals such as Vukovar and Parma.
Cast & Crew

Director – Barnabás Tóth
Producer – János Szurmai
Cinematographer – Másik Szöke András
Editor – Károly Szalai
Music – Gábor Keresztes
Cast – Károly Hajduk,Pál Mácsai, Gergely Váradi