Mészáros folds national history, a coming-of-age tale, and the power of cinephilia into this semi-autobiographical look at a young orphan seeking truth amidst the lies, conspiracies, and shadows of postwar Stalinist Hungary. After her parents “disappear” in Russia, young Juli returns to a paranoia-fueled Budapest to live with her Stalinist aunt. Her only solace is her trips to the cinema, and her only friend, an older, politically outspoken father figure, Janos. As she finds her voice, her nation may lose its chance to speak. Diary’s grand historical sweep may have been new for Mészáros, but her eye for the smallest, most intricate moments remains.