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This is one of the more inscrutable works by famed Hungarian director Miklos Jancso, better known for his film epic on the Russian Revolution, The Red and the White. His films still upset authorities in Eastern Europe, and he is considered to be both a political maverick and an extraordinary film stylist. This film, Egi Barany, or Agnus Dei, deals with the period in Hungary's history immediately following the overthrow of the Bela Kun Commune in 1919. Hungary, like the other units of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, suffered from chaos and civil war following the breakup of the empire at the end of World War I. For a short time, the Commune, a communist faction, governed Hungary. It had considerable military support from the new Bolshevik regime in Russia. The movie shows communards attempting to hold on to power in a rural area. They have (but do not welcome) the support of a wild, epileptic priest. The story is told using dialogue from Hungarian folklore and the Bible. Peasants are swept up in waves of violence as supporters of Admiral Horthy and the Reds struggle for control.