Béla Tarr, the influential Hungarian filmmaker celebrated for his contributions to slow cinema, has died at the age of 70. News of his passing on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, was confirmed by his family through the Hungarian national news agency MTI. The European Film Academy, where Tarr had been a member since 1997, also released a statement noting that he had suffered from a "long and serious illness". However, specific details regarding the cause of death were not disclosed.
Born on July 21, 1955, in Pécs, Hungary, Tarr began his filmmaking journey at a young age. His parents were involved in the theater and film industry, with his father working as a scenery designer and his mother as a prompter. He gained early experience as a child actor. Tarr's early work involved amateur documentary filmmaking, often focusing on workers and urban poverty. His feature debut came in 1979 with Family Nest, a film supported by Béla Balázs Studio and shot in just six days with non-professional actors. This film, rooted in social realism, depicted housing precarity with stark immediacy.
Tarr's distinct style, characterized by languid pacing, stark black-and-white visuals, extended long takes, and minimal dialogue, earned him recognition as a pioneer of the slow cinema movement. His films delved into existential themes, often portraying marginalized and desperate characters in bleak landscapes. Key films in his filmography include Damnation (1988), Sátántangó (1994), Werckmeister Harmonies (2000), and The Turin Horse (2011). Sátántangó, a sprawling seven-hour-and-a-half epic, is widely considered his magnum opus.
Sátántangó unfolds in a remote village following the supposed return of two men. Much of the drama revolves around disputes on a poorly managed collective farm and the appearance of a supposed prophet. Werckmeister Harmonies portrays a community controlled by mass hypnosis triggered by the arrival of a strange circus. The Turin Horse, which won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, was his final feature film.
After The Turin Horse, Tarr announced his retirement from feature-length film direction. In 2013, he established an international film school, film.factory, in Sarajevo and lived between Budapest and Sarajevo. Tarr's influence extends beyond directing; he also worked as a screenwriter and producer. He collaborated with notable figures such as novelist László Krasznahorkai, composer Mihály Víg, and cinematographer Fred Kelemen. Throughout his career, Tarr received numerous accolades, including the Kossuth Prize, the Balázs Béla Prize, and the European Film Academy's Honorary Award in 2023.
The European Film Academy mourned the loss of "an outstanding director and a personality with a strong political voice". Tarr's family has requested privacy during this difficult time. His unique approach to filmmaking and his exploration of profound themes have left an enduring mark on the world of cinema.
