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Viktor Orbán had a rare opportunity in 2010. He gained a supermajority in parliament, giving him a strong mandate to put Hungary on a path to development.
The circumstances were also favorable. The global economy boomed in the 2010s, and Hungary received a huge amount of funding from the European Union, on a scale unseen in the country’s modern history.
What did Viktor Orbán do with these unprecedented opportunities? To what extent did he keep the promises he made 16 years ago?
This is the subject of the new documentary by Direkt36, which analyzes the Orbán era’s performance, focusing on the Hungarian economy, healthcare, education, and transportation. Data, expert opinions, and personal stories help to illustrate this.
The film was made by Direkt36 staff members Patrik Galavits, Kamilla Marton, Péter Nádori, András Pethő, and Dániel Szőke in collaboration with independent filmmakers. The film was directed by Máté Fuchs, assisted by Bálint Bíró and many other film professionals.
In some ways, The Trap is related to Direkt36’s previous documentary, The Dynasty, which showed how the Orbán family built their business empire. The new film is essentially about what happens to services that fundamentally affect people’s lives when the government’s priority is not to develop these areas, but to gain and expand economic power.
Cover photo: Miklós Sebes
