When two Orthodox Jews appear in a remote Hungarian village with some mysterious cargo, their presence catalyzes an unwelcome reckoning with the recent past for the local inhabitants. Featuring striking black-and-white cinematography that imbues potent compositions with foreboding, this finely performed period drama takes on a transitional time in Hungarian history with subtlety and nuance.

The sober-looking strangers arrive on a day already filled with tensions. They interrupt the wedding preparations of Arpad, the son of domineering village notary István, who is to marry Kisrózsi, a pretty peasant girl. Soviet soldiers lurk on the sidelines, wondering how they can further enrich themselves through the daily business of the Occupation. The film concentrates on the point of view of the locals, almost all of whom, including the priest, share guilty secrets about ill-gotten gains. 1945 offers a fresh cinematic approach to a difficult topic.