Satantango

We took our time — and now, finally, we’re ready. We invite you to join us in leveling up your cinephilia. Many people have heard of this film, but very few have actually seen it — after all, it runs for over seven hours. And it’s not meant to be watched in parts like a TV series: only in one complete viewing, from beginning to end.

This is a legendary film, the kind of viewing experience that forever separates seasoned film obsessives from casual movie lovers. If you’ve seen Sátántangó, you’ll be regarded with respect and awe in any film crowd. You’ll out-snob the snobs. Charm even the most erudite person you know. And carry lifelong pride in your endurance and impeccable taste.

But seriously (in case we haven’t sold you yet): this is one of the defining works of the great Hungarian master Béla Tarr — a film that brings cinematic time so close to real time that the viewer has only two options: to fall under its spell or to suffer for seven hours. Yet it’s precisely this convergence of temporalities that makes the viewing experience — what thoughtful people call the filmic experience — especially vivid. Thanks to Sátántangó, we can grasp why cinema will always be more than a mere imitation of reality.

The film received an award at the Berlin International Film Festival and has been repeatedly cited by arthouse critics as one of the greatest films of all time.