History Lesson

On 4 June 1920, the Treaty of Trianon was signed. That summer day in Versailles, 97 years ago, Magna Hungaria was portioned out among its constituents. For their triggering of the war and military expansionism, Austria-Hungary was punished along with Germany, Bulgaria and Turkey. But it was Hungary that paid the highest price. While for former Czechoslovakia, and Slovakia in particular, the Treaty of Trianon has great significance as the realization of a nation's right to self-determination, for Hungarians it was the violation of a right, borne out by the annexation of large swathes of territory populated exclusively by ethnic Hungarians (Magyars). Dušan Trančík's documentary puts us in history classrooms in Slovak and Hungarian grammar schools. The topic is a school-leaving exam staple: the 1920 Treaty of Trianon. Before our eyes, two interpretations unfold in counterpoint. How historically aware are young Hungarians and Slovaks? How tolerant are they of their neighbours? What kind of future awaits them? (Art Film Fest)