25/11/2025 - Csaba Káel's newest feature puts a Hungarian song-and-dance twist on the classic fake-dating scenario

1980s Budapest: when you’re a young man, what else is there to do but rebel against the system? With the point-blank title Hungarian Wedding, Csaba Káel takes us on a romp in the titular setting, framed only briefly by the introduction telling us that our heroes, Péter (Tamás Kovács) and András (Zsombor Kövesi), are aspiring rock stars living in Budapest. This, however, hardly matters to the heart of our story, which takes place in the Kalotaszeg region of Transylvania, where there is a significant Hungarian population. Written by Miksa Békési, the film played in competition at the Black Nights Film Festival.

As the duo sets off on a trip, András takes a detour to a family wedding in Transylvania, where he aims to convince Péter to marry his cousin, Kati (Franciska Törőcsik), so she can escape rural Romania. One look at Kati, however, has Péter falling in love with the young woman, and he plans to charm her for real – but is quickly challenged by the local police chief’s son, Gyuri (Barabás Rohonyi), a local mustachioed young man who has history with Kati and is viciously vying for her renewed affection. Rivalries, secrets, a car chase and even a dance-off await us over the course of a few nights.

The rest of the story we spend at the wedding, which remains surprisingly lively and fun despite its simplicity and predictability. Even some of the casting choices feel too clean: the battling Péter and Gyuri are both tall, generically clean-cut, and stereotypically chiseled and handsome, making the film more of a spectacle for the eyes than being focused on creating characters with particular depth. Kati’s guidance of Péter’s behaviour to convince the community of his interest in her is integral to the fake-dating scenario that has been present in countless big-budget rom-coms and series of the last few years.

The movie is thus carried by its musical components, with cinematography by Tamás Lajos that allows us to really take in the technical skill and agility required to execute the complex dance sequences. The song-and-dance scenes feature spirited Hungarian dances and music by István Pál "Szalonna" and his Band as well as the Orchestra of the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble, in addition to others. Of all the production-design components, it is really the detailed, colourful costumes that make the film – frankly, some of the attempted 1980s touches don’t feel so era-specific – with all characters dressed in their finest traditional clothing throughout the entire event. At the end of the day, Hungarian Wedding offers little novelty but will please the parents and family nonetheless.

Hungarian Wedding is a Hungarian production by Szupermodern Filmstúdió, co-produced by MTVA - Media Service Support and Asset Management Fund.