New York Commemorates 1956 Hungarian Revolution with Film Screening

A film screening and discussion were held in New York on Wednesday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

The event, held at Lincoln Center centered on a screening of Klaudia Kovács’s historical documentary Torn from the Flag, followed by a panel discussion featuring the director and eyewitnesses to the events of 1956. The event was organized primarily by the Liszt Institute in New York, with support from the Consulate General of Hungary in New York and the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations.

The commemoration highlighted the historical significance and international legacy of the 1956 Revolution.

Klaudia Kovács’s documentary examines the 1956 Hungarian Revolution within a broader historical context, against the broader historical backdrop of the Cold War and the subsequent transformation of the communist system, and emphasizes the revolution’s pivotal role in the ultimate collapse of the socialist system.

The film—which combines personal recollections, archival footage, and historical analysis—not only recalls these pivotal events in Hungarian history but also explores their international impact and enduring message.

Andrew Senyei, the film’s executive producer, was also present at the screening.

In addition to director, writer, and producer Klaudia Kovács, the discussion was attended by Gyula Varga, former principal of the Hungarian School in New Brunswick, who lived in Budapest with his family during the revolution, as well as Father Iván Csete, who took part in the revolution and fight for freedom.

Hungarian-born photographer Sylvia Plachy attended the commemoration with her husband, Elliot Brody. The artist was forced to leave Hungary with her family at the age of thirteen in 1956 and later built an internationally recognized career as a photographer in New York.

The commemoration featured works of fine art, including Gábor Korányi’s etching Torn from the Flag and a work by American painter Nicholas Thorp inspired by the 1956 Revolution.

Members of the diplomatic corps were also represented at the event. The purpose of the New York commemoration was to make the historical memory of the 1956 Revolution accessible not only to the Hungarian diaspora but also to a broader American and international audience.

Via MTI; Featured photo: Fortepan / Faragó György 

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