In the 1971 Hungarian film “Ants’ Nest” (“Hangyaboly”), directed by Zoltán Fábri, the tranquil yet rigid life of a nunnery is thrown into turmoil with the impending death of its head. Amidst the cloistered walls, two factions emerge, challenging the nunnery’s future. The progressive faction, led by the young and spirited Virginia, advocates for a radical shift towards modern education and a more liberal lifestyle, symbolized by their desire for a new bathroom and a shift in religious practices. Their hopes are pinned on Sister Magdolna, an educated nun with secular university experience. However, Magdolna is torn, grappling with her own internal conflicts and the unwanted advances of Virginia. Simultaneously, a group of seminarists, under Király Erzsi’s leadership, begin to question the oppressive discipline they face.
