A fine addition to the War Drama category from Hungary portraying atrocities of World War II this time focusing on forced encamping and ruthless handling of women of Hungary by Gulag forces of Soviet Union in harsh winters for many years. The movie follows Irén (Marina Gera) with other innocent females who are transported two thousand kilometers away from their homes for forced labor.

It was quite shocking to note that the forced labor and persecution of internees including hundreds of thousands of Hungarians remained in force with the agreement and consent of other world powers at that time, which continued even when the war was over.

The acting performances and cinematography are good, but the ending sequence respecting lead roles is not logical, which could have been avoided in such a fine movie.

Magnificent film - - - about the situation of these women and about this I agree with other reviews so I am not going to repeat them - - until --- Ooops!... for me the whole film collapsed in the last few minutes... the director/writer chose to be a hungarian first and film geniuses second - it could have been the only way to have the film funded\sponsorized by Hungarian sources?...maybe?... No matter... I did not see any (dramatic) logic for Iren not following Rajmund to Germany as she had agreed to do before her nationality interview... Well, the only logic was that she did not love him as much her lost/dead husband... And only used him and his love for her selfish need to survive - and suddenly the love story the audience so much got entrhalled into became a mere survival story and I lost all sympathy for Iren and Rajmund became the one I felt for... so she went back to a life of what?, waiting for a likely dead husband - ?... I would have understood and accepted her decision if she got to know her husband had returned and was at home waiting for her... but he is absent as ever... and from the film does seem her parents and daughter were not styarving or homeless or dying to need her desperastely... She goes back to a waiting for Godot life, condemned to staying her village just to make happy her ever growing up (and no doubt soon independentdaughter ) and her getting older parents?... if her daughter and her parents cared for her in an unselfish way they should have been very happy for her finding love again in another man.... If her husband would come back from nowhere after 10 years he should have the commons sense to understand his wife had found somebody else... Besides all else Iren and Rajmund came through hell, with their survivors skills, would not they find it quite easy to either find a way to have her parents and daughter over to Germany at some point?... Or for Iren and Rajmund to go to live in her village in Hungary?... My strong suspicion remains that the filmakers have chosen to make a 'Hungarian' film rather than a world masterpiece....

I have just seen the film Eternal Winter at the Raindance Festival in London and was absolutely awestruck by the accomplishment. I was spellbound from beginning to end and want to wish it all the best of luck with distribution and I hope it receives the recognition it deserves. I'll spread the word as much as I possibly can. See it if you get the chance.