The Sinking Village

The Hungarian village of Medgyesbodzás is slowly sinking, and the inhabitants are baffled. Their houses are all propped up, and they point out the cracks and holes for us. A patch of grass has an ominous hollow. People do their best to date the extreme points of the cracks so they know how far they have gone. The village receives very little help from national authorities, so they turn to the European Union. The middle-aged Jószef does his best to learn English, so when they file a request for EU assistance, he can submit a short film in which he and the other villagers tell their story. The Hungarian television does pay attention to their situation and broadcasts an item on the village - this is not the first time, either. Watching the broadcast, one villager exclaims, "Jószef again!" But despite his weary face, Jószef perseveres. "There is no problem, only challenges," he practices in English. Keep thinking positively. But in the meantime, young people are moving away from the village and a solution seems farther away than ever. Moreover, the cause of the sinking is not clear. Some people accuse the oil companies, others the waterworks, and still others blame the soil itself.