The film tells the story of László Toth (played by Adrien Brody, who won an Oscar in 2003 for best actor for The Pianist), a Hungarian Jewish architect who, having escaped anti-Semitic persecution, arrives in the United States in 1947 with his wife. The events take place over a period of thirty years during which Toth’s life will change radically, going from a condition of poverty to that of an established modern architect.
In the United States, the meeting with the wealthy Pennsylvania businessman Van Buren will mark a turning point in Laszlo Toth’s life and career. As a matter of fact, Van Buren will ask the architect to design for him an imposing modernist monument, a single block of marble intended to tower over the hill where his property is located, conceived as a building with multiple functions, including a area of prayer, library, auditorium and gym.
Around the project of this architecture, which grows and develops, we find a network of relationships that will substantially change not only Laszlo’s professional life, but also his personal one, to the point of filling the whole story with meanings that go beyond architecture to take us on a journey made of matter, nature, humanity and social contrasts. The movie, with dark tones and rich in a thousand of nuances, was successful in Venice and showed the full artistic maturity of the director who also wrote the screenplay.
And when we talk about raw material and marble, we inevitably end up, one way or another, talking about Carrara. From Budapest to the city of marble with its unique Apuan skyline, the way was short. The director and the production chose Carrara and its quarries as the setting for the part of the movie where Toth chose stones for the construction of the building commissioned by Van Buren. Some crucial scenes of the movie were shot in front of the ancient “Riacci” grocery store, in Corso Rosselli, and in the Bettogli quarries.
In his review of the film Andrea Chimento, a critic for the newspaper “Il Sole 24 Ore”, stated that the film offers ‘an unforgettable viewing’. A film that is ‘an enormously fascinating experience’. Then he concluded saying: «The part set among the Carrara marble quarries was splendid, but there are many moments to remember and from the very first sequence you can see the director’s inspiration in building one of the most interesting works of the entire season».
Once again, we are happy to note how Corbet’s intention in telling this story aligns with the idea that there is a special bond between marble, architecture and art where marble gives the architect, as well as the artist and designer, the opportunity to imagine and transform their dreams, projects and visions.
We are even happier to welcome the protagonists of the seventh art in our city and in our quarries, giving them an experience as intense as full of meaning.
