The Man From London

Four years in the making, the new film from the acclaimed Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr is an adaptation of a novel by thriller writer Georges Simenon. Maloin (Miroslav Krobot) leads a simple life as a railway signalman, barely registering the world around him. His life takes a sudden turn when he becomes a witness to a murder and he is forced to confront issues of morality, sin, punishment and the line between innocence and complicity. Exploring themes of desire, greed and man’s indestructible longing for freedom, this hypnotic film bears the distinctive trademarks of Tarr’s universe – fluid and stunning monochrome photography, pared-down dialogue and performances (with a striking appearance by Tilda Swinton), and a hauntingly beautiful score by long-time Tarr collaborator Mihály Víg.