Ten Thousand Days

The film travels from the 1930s interwar period through the postwar years into the 1960s. It follows the pre-war social order, the upheavals of World War II, and the harsh realities of collectivization and political shifts in the early Cold War era. Each era brings new pressures—land, loyalty, and survival—altering family dynamics and community norms.

The story unfolds in rural Hungary, anchored in the Széles family’s farm and the surrounding countryside. Key locations include the Balogh estate, the family’s home, and the local brick factory, all shaping daily life and conflict. The setting depicts a landscape where hard work, seasons, and neighbors determine fortunes and loyalties.

🌾 Land Ownership

Land is the core measure of worth and identity for the Széles family. Ownership creates both security and vulnerability as the state pushes toward collective property. Personal loyalties clash with communal expectations, forcing hard choices about loyalty to family, land, and tradition. The dream of maintaining a farm under changing laws and social pressures drives much of the narrative.

🏭 Collectivization

The era of collective farming reshapes power and property, replacing individual farms with shared ownership. Estates are redistributed, and new forms of collective organization emerge, intensifying tensions between old ways and new Socialist realities. The drive toward cooperation clashes with hunger, fear, and the temptation to seize grain from granaries. Characters navigate loyalty to land while facing the coercive push of the state.

💔 Family Struggle

Domestic life is tested by violence, restraint, and the hope of lasting bonds. The couple’s vow not to hit each other is set against a backdrop of external pressures that strain patience and trust. Juli’s quiet resilience keeps the family together even as the world around them shifts. The tension between love, duty, and survival defines their intimate world.

🌊 Escape & Horizon

A future beyond the fields becomes glimpsed as the next generation seeks new horizons, symbolized by the sea. The son’s journey toward distant opportunities reframes the meaning of land—no longer the sole measure of value. The conclusion suggests that while the land remains meaningful, individual paths and choices define the true horizon for the family.