Documentary examines the 1957 execution of Ilona Tóth

A new documentary film titled ‘Ilona’ re-examines the controversial case of Ilona Tóth, a 24-year-old medical student executed on June 28, 1957. Tóth was convicted of the murder of István Kollár, a laborer suspected of being an intelligence agent, during the aftermath of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

While Tóth provided a confession, historians and legal experts continue to debate whether the killing actually occurred or if the trial was a politically motivated show trial intended as post-revolutionary retaliation. Discrepancies in autopsy reports, conflicting testimonies, and the circumstances of the investigation have led many to believe the defendants were victims of a conceptual trial.

The film features insights from historians, investigators, forensic experts, and criminal psychologists to analyze the case. It is scheduled to be broadcast on Duna TV on October 23 as part of a program commemorating the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution.