Q. Welcome Zsolt, it's a pleasure to have you with us for this interview. Congratulations on your seven awards (including 'Best Feature', 'Best Producer' and 'Best Director') at the "Rome International Movie Awards" last September (click HERE).
Your new film is "Darking way": in a few words, what is it about?
A. It's the story of a passionate night where a prisoner sentenced to death is confronted with the secrets of his life, his mistakes, his hitherto unknown sins, and all of this gets him killed before he is executed. A true story from the history of the Hungarian War of Independence, 1849.
Q. What can you say about the shooting as such and the atmosphere on the set? Was it difficult to find the right collaborators and, above all, actors who were able to translate your cinematographic vision into acting and images?
A. The film had to be shot in ten days, which is only possible with a close-knit team. I only work with actors I've met in my theatre or film work, I trust their talent implicitly. And I know that we feel and think alike. There is no other way to make a film in such a short time. The atmosphere on set is good when the director is fully prepared, while at the same time giving full artistic freedom to the cinematographer, lighting and others. I believe in shooting in a good atmosphere, in a friendly atmosphere, and I don't like a cramped, forced artistic process. It is the director's duty to prepare the film in such a way that, with all the difficulties that may arise during the shoot, it is a shared creative pleasure. Because film is a collective genre, I believe that the cinematographer, the set designer, the costume designer and the editor are all artists in their own right. And I let them realise their ideas, based on my concept of course.
A. I was working as a theatre director and writing scripts for films, television and series. For example, I wrote 181 episodes for the Hungarian crime television series "Kisváros" (Small Town), which featured new and different stories every week for 50 minutes. I took part in the shootings, often directing an episode myself, it was my school of filmmaking.
Q. What can you tell us about your film work prior to "The Darking Way"?
A. I received my first film as a gift from a great Hungarian director for whom I wrote the script. And he told me that this film was my vision, my interpretation, so he gave me the direction. I am eternally grateful to him for that. So I was able to make the film on a big budget, still on 35 mm, with a wonderful cast and crew. It's a poetic film, an absurd film, so I didn't have to start with a horror film or some weak comedy. The success of this film led to other requests. Since then I have directed fifteen films, including television, feature films, documentaries and short films. My second film won first prize at the "A" category film festival in Goa, and I founded "Horatio Film Studio", with which I have since been making my films, mainly with the support of the Hungarian National Film Institute. "Darking way" is not the first to win so many awards all over the world. The previous film, "The Devoted", also won a lot of awards from major festivals, 89 in total. I am delighted that many of these awards were for 'Best Actor' or 'Best Actor-Team'. For me, the most important artist in a film is the actor, everything else is subordinated to the actor's work. Both films did well not only at the "fashionable" festivals, but in countries whose culture is completely different from European culture. I'm most proud of the awards in Africa, Oceania, India, Nepal, Vietnam, because if they like the film, it means that we have succeeded in creating a work that can be enjoyed by all people, wherever they live on the planet.
Q. Do you have future projects you would like to share?
A. In Hungary we have the special situation that the more awards you win for your film, the less new opportunities you get. It works differently all over the world. But I have very good contacts with filmmakers from other countries. Now I'm preparing an Italian film in which I'm the only Hungarian director. But at the moment I'm looking for a producer, wherever he lives in the world, who would have the imagination to make a whole evening of dance film. The film is called "The Birth of Erotica". In a small community in a primitive society, I would like to show where mere procreation and carnal love, eroticism, diverged. How the process took place when man realised that in addition to procreation of offspring, there was physical contact, sexuality, kissing, caressing and love. All this in the language of dance. I want to film it with great dancers in beautiful locations. I think this process has not been easy, I want to portray the conflicts, even tragedies, that arise from this within the tribe.
Q. How would you describe yourself as a director?
A. I didn't learn directing at university or in courses, but from practice. So I have experience in all areas of the film industry, I can comment on the cinematography, or sound design, and so on. I am convinced that the most important thing, apart from a good script, is to choose the right team and to prepare thoroughly for the shoot. I really like to put absurd and poetic elements in the film. And I dare to take on quite astonishing solutions. If they serve the purpose. And I really love acting talent and its fulfilment. And if all of that comes together, then it's worth being a director. Like a conductor at the head of an orchestra. The music is provided by the others, but I'm responsible for the quality.
A. Sadly, those who were my real film masters in Hungary are no longer alive. Actors can really inspire me to work on a new subject. It often happens that I'm looking for a new story for an actor's personality. Now, for example, we are thinking about a new film with a well-known Italian actor.
Q. Your favourite movies? And of course, films you really deplore?
A.
The very first film that I really loved as a young Italian is Dino Risi's "White Phones". And Italian neorealism in general was a big influence on me. But a defining film is "All that Jazz", and for me one of the greatest films of all time is "Forrest Gump". And I could go on. But I also love a lot of films that not many people know. Like "Burn after reading". It's not always the recognition that makes the film. I don't like films whose scripts are written by computer programs. I look for the human essence in films, and that has nothing to do with machines.
A. I have a "Facebook" page (click HERE) where I have collected my films and I have my own "Youtube" channel (HERE) where you can find almost all my films.
And I also have various online distributors around the world.
Q. Thank you for this very inspiring interview, Zsolt. We here at the "Rome International Film Awards" are looking forward to seeing and appreciating your new film productions!
A. I am very happy that we could win so many awards at the "Rome International Movie Awards". Rome and Italy are very important to me and my family, we love this city, the country and the wonderful Italian people. I made an Italian subtitled version of the film so that it could be shown at as many Italian festivals as possible. And to my great pleasure, it is happening.
No comments:
Post a Comment