Person
Béla Tarr
Pécs, Hungary
Béla Tarr (July 21, 1955 – January 6, 2026) was a Hungarian filmmaker. Much of his work is marked by philosophical elements and a pessimistic view of humanity. His films utilize u…
IMDbKnown for
Popular titles
Photos
More stills of Béla Tarr
Biography
A closer look
Read full biography
Béla Tarr (July 21, 1955 – January 6, 2026) was a Hungarian filmmaker. Much of his work is marked by philosophical elements and a pessimistic view of humanity. His films utilize unconventional storytelling methods, such as long takes and/or non-professional actors to achieve realism. Debuting with Family Nest in 1979, Tarr underwent a period of what he refers to as "social cinema", aimed at telling mundane stories about ordinary people, often in the style of cinema vérité. Over the next decade, the cinematography of Tarr's films gradually changed; Damnation (1988) was shot with languid camera movement aimed at establishing ambience. It marked Tarr's earliest experimentation with philosophical themes, focused mostly on bleak and desolate representations of reality. Sátántangó (1994) and Werckmeister Harmonies (2000) continued this approach; both are considered by some critics to be among the greatest films ever made. Tarr would later compete in the 2007 Cannes Film Festival with his film The Man From London. Frequent collaborators of Tarr include his wife Ágnes Hranitzky, novelist László Krasznahorkai, film composer Mihály Víg, cinematographer Fred Kelemen, and actress Erika Bók. After the release of his film The Turin Horse (2011), Tarr announced his definitive retirement from film direction. He has been teaching at the Sarajevo Film School since. Tarr died on 6 January 2026 following a long and serious illness.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
-
2026
First Lesson
Movie
-
2025
Stars of Little Importance
Movie Executive Producer
-
2025
Lullaby for the Mountains
Movie Executive Producer
-
2025
Living Stones
Movie Executive Producer
-
2025
FUKUSHIMA with BÉLA TARR
Movie Self
-
2024
Rumours
Movie Thanks
-
2024
The Cowboy
Movie Thanks
-
2024
Árni
Movie Creative Producer
-
2023
Coda
Movie Producer
-
2023
Deer Bell
Movie Producer
-
2022
Isten hozott
Movie Thanks
-
2021
Letters from the Ends of the World
Movie Producer
-
2021
Lamb
Movie Executive Producer
-
2019
Paola Makes a Wish
Movie Producer
-
2019
Missing People
Movie Director
-
2018
A Country Divided
Movie
More credits
-
2018
The Tree
Movie Thanks
-
2018
The Confidence-Man
Movie Executive Producer
-
2017
Aragane
Movie Consulting Producer
-
2017
Muhamed
Movie Director
-
2016
Man in the Well
Movie Producer
-
2016
The Parrot
Movie Thanks
-
2015
About Cinema
Movie Self
-
2014
Lost in Bosnia
Movie Executive Producer
-
2014
Tuga
Movie Producer
-
2014
Tarr Béla: I Used to Be a Filmmaker
Movie Himself
-
2014
Conniving
Movie Producer
-
2012
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
Movie Producer
-
2012
Hungary 2011
Movie Producer
-
2011
The State That I Am Fish
Movie Béla Tarr
-
2011
The Turin Horse
Movie Screenplay
-
2008
Béla Tarr: Mysterious Harmonies
Movie Himself
-
2008
The Man from London
Movie Screenplay
-
2007
365 Day Project
Movie Self
-
2007
Fragment
Movie Producer
-
2005
Johanna
Movie Producer
-
2004
Visions of Europe
Movie Director
-
2004
Prologue
Movie Director
-
2003
Parola (su una data)
TV show
-
2001
Werckmeister Harmonies
Movie Director
