Private Project

Istok

In the swamps of Hanság lived a little boy, Istók, aged 8-10, happily fishing and hunting in harmony with the animals around. One day fishermen cauhgt him and brought the boy to the nearby castle in Kapuvár where he was kept in prison like he was an animal. Only the capitan’s daughter showed sympathy towards him and tried to be nice to him in order to tame him down. As time went by the boy was allowed to leave his cell and got a place to live and he got used to the every day life in the castle. On the wedding day of the captian’s daughter, Istók had a special present for the couple: a bowl of delicious creeping reptile. The trouble he had made with his wedding gift, reminded him his happy life amoung his fellow animals, but it also made him run away from the angry and violent people. He dived into the lake of the castle and swam back to his swamp where he was welcomed by the friendly creatures. He has never been seen since then.

The story is based on events that took place in the 18th century and became a legend in the area.

  • Roland Tóth
    Director
    Thoughts from The Cellar
  • Roland Tóth
    Writer
    Thoughts from The Cellar
  • Krisztián Konecsni
    Producer
    Istók
  • István Rittgasser
    Production Designer
    Thoughts from The Cellar
  • Balázs Sarkadi Nagy
    Editor
  • János Nagy
    Music
  • Péter Benjámin Lukács
    Sound
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Istók
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 12 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 31, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    93,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Hungary
  • Country of Filming:
    Hungary
  • Shooting Format:
    digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 13th Kecskemét Animation Film Festival
    Kecskemét
    Hungary
    June 22, 2017
    Hungarian
    Hungarian Short Competition
  • BALKANIMA 2017, 14th edition of European Animated Film Festival Panorama of European Film program
    Beograd
    Serbia
    October 6, 2017
    Panorama of European Film
  • 15th International Animation Film Festival "Tindirindis" in Vilnius
    Vilnius
    Lithuania
    November 30, 2017
    Lithuanian
    Short Animation Films Competition - DIPLOMA SPECIAL MENTION
  • Animateka 14th International Animated Film Festival
    Ljubljana
    Slovenia
    December 6, 2017
    Eastern and Central European Panorama
  • 25th ITFS'18
    Stuttgart
    Germany
    April 26, 2018
    German
    "Tricks for Kids" Shorts Competition
  • 26th International Animation Festival of Brazil, ANIMA MUNDI 2018
    Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo
    Brazil
    South American
    CURTA METRAGEM INFANTIL/SHORT FOR CHILDREN
  • Hétdomb Film Festival 2018
    Komló
    Hungary
    September 4, 2018
    Short Animated Competition - Special Jury Price
  • Taichung International Animation Festival 2018
    Taichung
    Taiwan
    Asian Premiere
    Programme Panorama
  • Alexandre Trauner ART/Film Festival
    Szolnok
    Hungary
    Official Competition
Distribution Information
  • Picture Start Kft.
    Country: Hungary
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Roland Tóth

Roland Tóth was born in Miskolc in 1972. He graduated from the Faculty of Painting at the Vocational Secondary School of Fine Art and Industrial Art in 1991. He has been a staff at Kecskemetfilm Ltd. since 1992. He has been a director of Picture Start Ltd. since 2014.

Filmography: AXN Crime Nights (2006) – tvspots,
Children's Festival in Győr (2008-2010) – festival spots,
Thoughts from the Cellar (2009) – animated short,
A-HA (2011) – informative web series;
Istók (2017) – animated short

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The Istók animation film actually contains some Latin baptismal words, but we do not want to translate it into any language.
Please take note of the part of the director's concept.