Film Screening and Q&A at the Kaptár 5 Documentary Film Festival

Factories once provided jobs for hundreds of people and played a defining role in the everyday lives of entire communities. Their stories reflect the history of a city, an era, and the people who worked there. As part of the Székely Land Days programme, the Kaptár Documentary Film Festival presents two documentaries exploring Transylvania’s industrial heritage and the human stories behind it. The screenings will take place at our institution’s headquarters.

Csíki konfekció (25 minutes)
Directors: Emőke Mosoni, Péter T. Bányai

The film offers a glimpse into the history of the Ready-Made Clothing Factory in Miercurea Ciuc. Its employees experienced the heyday of this once prominent garment factory in Székely Land, the transition brought about by privatisation, the liberalisation of trade, and eventually the world of contract manufacturing. Their story is about both the local garment industry and a much broader socio-economic transformation.

Gubán Balázs legendája (49 minutes)
Director: Katalin Daczó

Balázs Gubán, creator of the world-famous Gubán shoes, ran his factory with a modern, market-oriented mindset even during the communist era. The factory produced not only footwear but also a wide range of other goods, from brooms and saxophones to bags and artificial leather seat covers. Although the once-large enterprise has since disappeared, Balázs Gubán and his legacy live on in people’s memories.

The screenings will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers: Emőke Mosoni, editor-in-chief of Magyaradás; Katalin Daczó; and Péter T. Bányai. The discussion will also feature social researcher József Gagyi, who will offer a social-historical perspective on the themes raised by the films.

The conversation will explore the background of the documentaries, the research behind the archival footage and personal stories, as well as the historical and social forces that shaped the factories featured in the films.