Mr. Speaker, tonight at the National Gallery of Canada is the Canadian premiere of Freedom's Fury, a historical documentary in tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution. It is the work of the brother and sister writing and directing team of Colin Keith Gray and Megan Raney Aarons.
In late November 1956, the water polo teams from Hungary and the Soviet Union met in an Olympic semi-final match. Just weeks before, the Hungarian people had engaged in the first popular revolution ever staged against Soviet power. The match, called “the bloodiest game in Olympic history”, signalled the end of Hungary's brush with freedom.
“It was far more than just a sporting event”, Ervin Zador of the 1956 Hungarian Olympic Team notes. “It was a battle for the spirit, for our freedom, for democracy. We won at the Olympics, we lost in the streets”.
Congratulations to Colin and Megan for a film well done.