Bolond Istók revives the eventful six months that were considered the secret and shameful period of the life of the poet János Arany, who later became famous.

From October 3rd, the romantic costume film Fool Istók will be released in Hungarian cinemas. It takes place in reform-era Hungary and deals with the period when the barely 19-year-old János Arany became an itinerant actor in 1836.

    Bolond Istók revives the eventful six months that were considered the hidden and ashamed period of the poet's life, which later became famous.

– can be read in the information sheet sent to MTI.

The protagonist of the film, the barely 19-year-old Istók, dreams of becoming an actor, so he leaves the famous Debrecen College and joins a traveling theater company. In the beginning, he gets only behind-the-scenes jobs, but he tries to get on the boards that represent the world. Sári (Dorottya Gellért), an actress with a mysterious past, joins the troupe on an adventurous journey. Their relationship is accompanied by storms that test Istók's hopes and intentions both on stage and behind the scenes, the information sheet reads.

János Arany was already over fifty, when - calling himself Istók - he wrote his six-month acting adventure in the never-completed Foolish Istók for the first time with many ironies and omissions. The film shows this period, the long hidden, ashamed - and therefore secret - dead end of the later poet's life, which shaped him into an artist and a person, the announcement states.

Ágoston Liber, who graduated from the University of Theater and Film in 2024, plays the title role in the film, which was made with the support of the National Film Institute. Dorottya Gellért, Adél Jordán, Steve Hajdu, András Pál and Balázs Puskás will appear next to him on the screen.

The film was produced and distributed by Filmsquad. It was produced by István Major, the director was Gábor Rohonyi (Brazilok, Szia, Életem!), co-directed by Georgina Hegedűs, the screenwriter of Foolish Istók. The cinematographer of the film is Ábris Gosztola-Schenker (Mellékhats, The King, The Teacher), the visual designer is Gábor Valcz, the costume designer is Tünde Kemenesi, the composer of the film is Dániel Csengery.

Trailer for The Foolish Istók:

MTI

Cover image: The protagonist of The Fool Istók is the barely nineteen-year-old Istók (Liber Ágoston, right) Source: Filmsquad