Adam Csillag's legendary documentary from the 80th.
1984-88. Csillag made his first documentary
„Dunasaurus” (Dunaszaurusz). The two-part, 140 min. film had a profound, revelatory impact on Hungarian public life. It dealt with a theme declared off-limites by the Central Committee of the ruling Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party, and was filmed illegaly.
It concerned the environmental effects of the Hungarian-Czechoslovakian Danube hydroelectric project . Aside from the ecological issues, the film showed the antidemocratic way in which Hungarian society and institutions functioned , and the impossiblitly of scientifically responsible decision-making in the overpoliticized climate enforced by the Party.
It also showed the beginnings of civic action and civil deisobedience in this society, from the individual acts of the early eighties to the the 100,000 strong demonstrations of 1988. The film was banned after its completion , but aside from illegal distribution , it was possible to show it to a closed audience of almost 500-1000 , made up of , among others , most of the members of last Communist parliament. These pressured the Prime Minister of the time , Miklós Németh , who put a stop to the Hungarian side of the project.
That was the first step before Hungary made the first rip in Iron Curtain Months before the Berlin Wall fell, Hungarians had marched to demand democracy
The breaching of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago this month has become the symbol of the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and, ultimately, the triumph of democracy.