Kurtág Fragments - Dénes Nagy

György Kurtág, a renowned contemporary composer and the last major figure of the post-war avant-garde, remains spiritually vibrant despite his old age. The film showcases his work with world-class musicians like Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Víkingur Ólafsson or Steven Isserlis, capturing the magical transformation of emotions into music.

This feature-length documentary offers a cinematic journey into Kurtág's profound musical world, it approaches its subject through observation, atmosphere and fragments of everyday life, reflecting the deeply personal character of Kurtág’s music.

Through Dénes Nagy’s distinctive cinematic language, music and image come together to create a portrait that is both personal and contemplative.

Born in Budapest in 1980, Dénes Nagy is a Hungarian film director and screenwriter. He graduated in film directing from the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest in 2009 and he studied for one year at the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin. Nagy's first feature film, Natural Light (Természetes fény), premiered in competition at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival, where he received the Silver Bear for Best Director in 2021.

The screening forms part of a series of events celebrating Kurtág's centenary in Brussels. The programme also includes an exhibition by Judit Kurtág, opening at the Liszt Institute Brussels on November 3, and a concert by scArt featuring György Kurtág Jr, the composer's son, on 13 November.