Béla Tarr

Béla Tarr (21 July 1955), who died yesterday, 6 January, was a world-renowned Hungarian filmmaker and a seminal figure in the "slow cinema" movement. He was celebrated for his bleak, black-and-white visual style, exceptionally long takes, and existential themes.

Tarr’s work moved from early "social cinema" realism toward a philosophical, deeply atmospheric approach. He frequently collaborated with novelist László Krasznahorkai, his wife and editor Ágnes Hranitzky, and composer Mihály Vig. His influence extended to prominent directors such as Gus Van Sant and Jim Jarmusch.

Béla Tarr died at the age of 70 in a Budapest hospital on 6 January 2026, following a long and serious illness. His passing was marked by tributes from the European Film Academy and colleagues who hailed him as a radical artist and a "titan of contemplative cinema".