From the Corner of My Eye by Domonkos Erhardt premiered at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival drawing to a close today, and centred around the special moment when the lives of two people previously unknown to each other become intertwined as their gazes connect. 

In a video message, the young artist thanked the jury for the accolade that came with a certificate, saying how much he appreciated the special attention he received, and he felt that the film managed to reach its real target group. 

The Special Mention was awarded by the festival’s Youth Jury, as explaining their decision, their statement is the following:" Do you remember this one moment in your life? Perhaps it was particularly magical, maybe it was rather intense... A film reminded us of such moments and, from the very start, whisked us away on a journey behind the reflection of reality. We find the harmonious style to be inspiring and thought-provoking. In the end, the attention to detail and the touching encounter convinced us. A glimpse into a possible dream world from the corner of your eye.” 

One of the youngest official Berlinale juries are staffed by five young people for the Generation 14plus competition. Independently of the International Juries, they award the Crystal Bears for the best short and long films.  With the Berlinale being among the world’s most prestigious film festivals and film distribution platforms, the special mention can ensure the inclusion of From the Corner of My Eye in the programme of more film festivals or TV channels. 

Brilliantly capturing the atmosphere and showing flashes of the Budapest scenery, the short film focuses on the moment when the lives of two people previously unknown to each other become intertwined as their gazes connect. On the bumpy bus ride home to his girlfriend, a boy spots a nice girl sitting on the opposite side and feels embarrassed. Their eyes only meet in the reflection of the window, and the boy – though just in thought – gives in to temptation and pictures what it would be like to be with the girl. 

As Domonkos Erhardt said about his diploma work, he wanted to tell a story without the description of the situation or the setting taking up too much of the screentime. “The film is a chamber piece whose action takes place on an old Ikarus bus, and so the portrayal of the mundane takes the central stage. In addition, I like playing with the proportion of what is told and what is left untold. This way, the viewer is invited to fill in the blanks using their own thoughts and experiences, making the story even more personal.” 

The last animation from MOME Anim shortlisted for the animation short section of the Berlinale was Flóra Anna Buda’s diploma film Entropy in 2019, which received the Teddy Award. The Generations section featuring youth and children films first included a Hungarian work in 2017 in the form of a 9-minute digital animation by Anna Katalin Lovrity also from MOME Anim. 

Autumn 2023 will mark a new chapter in the history of MOME Animation, which has seen huge success in recent years. From that point on, the internationally competitive animation programme will continue in English language and offer specialisations in addition to Animation, such as Video Game and Immersive Storytelling. 

The film score was created by Some Nóvé. The editor of the film was Judit Czakó and the producer was József Fülöp.  

☞ The interview with the artist is available here: Interview with Domonkos Erhardt