An extraordinarily fulfilling journey from the mind of writer-director Peter Gardos - Porcelain Doll is a veritable experience of cinematic magic. Revolving around a small Hungarian village and its inhabitants, three unique stories are skillfully introduced and executed in an almost fairy tale like fashion. The majority of the films' stars are real locals, and it's written that Gardos spent time with them prior to shooting in order to earn their trust. The result is nothing short of breathtaking.

How do I do this without giving everything away?

Story 1 - A group of soldiers participate in a mini-decathlon with an extremely awkward local boy. The soldiers may not like losing, but they are still no match for the powers of the young boys grandmother.

Story 2 - A stranger (Sandor Csanyi from Kontroll - review here) visits the village with promises of resurrecting the dead. The locals exhume children who have passed on only to find that they may not have gotten quite what they bargained for.

Story 3 - An elderly couple attempt to evade authorities in a very unique fashion.

Women and Children First!

Raising the dead ain't easy. (Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Film Society)

While it may not sound like much, know that I am purposely being as mysterious as the film itself. Going in knowing very little is really the way to do this. The film is beautifully shot, and the use of real locals in many of the major roles takes the film to a whole new level. There are some odd choices in style, like a few quick action zooms and the fact that the second story is told in black and white. It's almost as if these techniques were used, simply 'because,' and they don't seem to fit in well with the overall tone of the film. I could have done without them. A minor complaint however, the film loses no points because of this.

Innocent in tone and nature, it's this childlike "PG" Rated quality that's the real appeal. However, like some of the best fairy tales or bedtime stories, there is still that underlying nightmarish quality to be had. Nothing too strong or over the top mind you, but still just enough of a light 'chill' factor to remind us why we love these fairy tales/fables so much. Porcelain Doll manages to strike this balance perfectly.

This film literally locks you in and transports you to another time and place. From the moment the film begins and the clever way the characters are introduced right down to the end credits (which are equally as clever and heartwarming) - Porcelain Doll aka A Porcelánbaba is a must see.

Thumbs Up Porcelain Doll is worth seeking out. Highly recommended.