A stunningly crafted 2025 thriller from Hungary. The impressive feature directorial debut of Gábor Holtai, FEELS LIKE HOME (Itt érzem magam otthon) was headlined by the little known Rozi Lovas, who previously worked extensively with Holtai on his self-directed short films and television episodes.
Lovas plays Rita, a Budapest based saleswoman who on her way home from work one night is chloroformed and dragged off by the burly Marci (Áron Molnár). She awakens in a featureless room with a muffle over her mouth and Marci lording over her, demanding she assume the guise of his sister Szivil. It might seem as if the film is shaping up to be yet another variant on THE COLLECTOR (1965), but things take a turn for the unexpected when after an undetermined amount of time Marci lets Rita out of the room and introduces her to his family.
This clan consists of the stern Papa (Tibor Szervét) and his mostly grown “children.” Like Rita, these folk have been forced to join the family against their will, and reside in a large house that’s completely sealed off from the world. Occasionally Papa lets one of his brood out to procure supplies, and Rita, upon being selected for that duty, learns that the surrounding community is essentially owned by Papa, as nobody responds to her pleas for help.
Upon arriving back at the house, Rita decides on a different tack: she deigns a hostile takeover of the family, and masterminds the kidnapping of a new member, a man who’s snatched off the street in the same way she was. This begs the question of whether Rita’s newfound assertiveness is feigned or genuine, as she appears to take to her new leadership role with great enthusiasm.
That FEELS LIKE HOME has (as of mid-2026) received little exposure outside its native land is most likely due to the fact that it’s extremely Hungarian-centric, with names and turns of phrase comprehensible only to native audiences (including a page of diary entries consisting of song titles by Hungarian rock bands). The film’s lack of western exposure certainly isn’t due to quality issues, as it’s impeccably made, with camerawork, pacing, sound design and acting that are uniformly top-notch (despite experimental touches, such as gratuitous jump cuts, which feel out of place). Most impressive, perhaps, is the malicious yet darkly comedic tone that’s maintained throughout.
In the lead role, Rozi Lovas is especially striking. She’s called upon to navigate multiple moods, with her character often acting in a way she doesn’t actually feel, a dichotomy conveyed to the viewer with great clarity and coherence.
Vital Statistics
FEELS LIKE HOME (Itt érzem magam otthon)
CineSuper/FP Films
Director: Gábor Holtai
Producers: Ádám Farkas, Péter Fülöp, Zoltán Mártonffy
Screenplay: Attila Veres
Cinematography: Dániel Szöke
Editing: Gábor Holtai, Vica Éva Kovács
Cast: Rozi Lovas, Áron Molnár, Tibor Szervét, Bettina Józsa, István Znamenák, Kornél Simon, Dorka Gyllus, Soma Simon, Kati Zsurzs, Máté Szalay-Dimitrov, Bálint Kovács, Gáspár Leó Kozma, Alina Járosi, Panna Huszár, András Tóth, Ádám Farkas, Márk Rábai, Attila Veres