EAST-WEST PASSAGE (2010)

3rd Hungarian Film Showcase in London

"Somewhere in the World"
22-28 June 2010

East West Passage / Kelet-nyugati atjaro (2010)

Director: Zsigmond Gabor Papp


Interview with the Director,
related to the 41. Hungarian Film Week and his documentary,
East West Passage

The Director's thoughts on his film:

"I think, the story of releasing the refugees from the DDR in 1989 is one of its kind and something great what Hungary should be proud of. We showed an example to Europe about democratic thinking.
As a 22 years old university student in that time, even though I wasn't part of the movement, but still it was one of the most important moments of my life. I was proud of being Hungarian.
The reason I made this film is because most the Hungarians have already forgotten our country's great achievements in history, and personally I wanted to experience its uplifting atmosphere one more time."

Filmhu: How did you choose your staff?

Director: We know each other very well, one phone call was enough: "Kati / Zoli / Csongor, we're shooting!"

Filmhu: What was your best experience throughout the shootings?

Director: The hospitality of one the german families. On that day we already had two interviews in two different parts of Germany, drove 1000 km, and when we arrived at 10 pm, two beautiful guest rooms and a fantastic dinner was waiting for us. We truly had a feeling that those people wanted to give something back in return what they've got from Hungary 20 years ago.

Filmhu: What was your worst experience then?

Director: The exact opposite of what I've just said before: the ignorance of one of the german families. It was our last day, and we were pretty tired. The shooting with them took half a day, we really did our best to create a very sympathetic picture about them, and they didn't even bother to offer one glass of water.

Filmhu: Are there any scenes that were recorded more times than the others?

Director: It's a classic documentary, every single scene was recorded only once.

Filmhu: In which A category film competition would you like to see your film?

Director: Somewhere in the east part of Germany of course, in Leipzig maybe.

Filmhu: Howmany viewer would make you happy?

Director: In the TV maybe 500 thousand.

/Source: www.filmhu.hu, http://magyar.film.hu/filmhu/magazin/papp-gabor-zsigmond-mi-mutattunk-peldat-europanak.html/



In Zsigmond Gabor Papp's documentary East West Passage we see the story from two points of view.
From one side there are Germans hoping to escape. Beside each individual's life we learn about the whole East-German community.
On the other side decision-maker politicians talk about the Government and its diplomatic steps' real reasons behind the movement.

The documentary is a real history lesson with archive documentary material and without claptrap!

/Source and more information (in Hungarian): www.filmtett.ro/

DANIEL TAKES A TRAIN (1983)

3rd Hungarian Film Showcase in London

"Somewhere in the World"
22-28 June 2010

Daniel takes the train (1983)

Director: Pal Sandor

Pal Sandor, CEO of Hunnia Film Studio, is a very well known director not only in Hungary, but worldwide as well.

A 24-times award-winning director and producer also holds a the Balazs Bela Prize and an Outstanding Artist title (both are the most prestigious Hungarian film awards). Hunnia Film Studio is the largest film production company, has produced many films since its foundation, 1956.

He holds many film awards. To name a few:

Balazs Bela Prize (Hungarian)
Outstanding Artist Title (Hungarian)
Silver Bear, Berlin (International)
International Critics' Prize, Cannes
Silver Hugo, Chicago (International)
Critics' Prize, Karlovy Vary (International)

Throughout his career he's fulfilled many different roles, such as deputy director between 1985-1989, majority owner and CEO of Novofilm, a Hungarian-German film production company, was a teacher at the Hungarian Academy of Drama and Film.

In 2000 he founded his own film production company, the FilmStreet.


Daniel Takes a Train (or Szerencses Daniel in Hungarian) won several prizes as well after its first appearance on screen in 1982:

1983 - Hungarian Feature Film Festival, First Prize of the Public Jury
Cannes - FIPRESCI Award
1984 - Hungarian Film Critics' Prize for the Best Actor, Gyula Bodrogi
1985 - Zimbabwe: Award for the Festival's Most Inventive Film
1986 - Gdansk: Award for the Best Foreign Film

/Source: http://www.miracle.dk/files/opum-press-kit.pdf/

Daniel Takes a Train was definitely one of those first films that was brave enough to break the silence on 1956 Soviet Invasion in Hungary.

The film takes us through the nation's political, economical change and Daniel's emotional developement.

Like every young man he's in love too with a girl, Mariann. Their emotions towards each other makes them stick to the moment while the world changes around them.



Mariann's disappearance forces Daniel on a long journey to find her love in the land of promise.


Although he's not the only one hoping to get on the train. There are many who crave for a better future and in the fear of Soviet revenge they are ready to leave one country behind to start a life in another one...

SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE (1947)

3rd Hungarian Film Showcase in London

"Somewhere in the World"
22-28 June 2010

Somewhere in Europe (1947)


Director: Geza von Radvanyi
Writer: Bela Balazs

Geza von Radvanyi's name is well known among the best historical movie makers worldwide. He was a Hungarian film director, producer and writer.
Before starting his career in the film industry he made himself known as a journalist, and was a producer assistant and screenwriter in different but mainly French and German film factories.

In 1937 he's married to Maria Fekete Tasnadi who played several roles in his future films.

As a film-maker his aim was to create a successful cinema in Hungary in the 50s and 60s, what would compete Hollywood studios.

One of his most famous works is the Somewhere in Europe, which he made in 1947 (Hungarian title: Valahol Europaban).


The film is described as his best by many historians. Set in the 40s, it's about children (played by orphans), who in order to survive have to form a gang and rob for food. They found a ruined castle where they intend to live, not knowing that it belongs to an elderly musician, who they want to rob him too, but there's a twist, and the building becomes their hiding-place.

With great black-and-white cinematography the film is recommended for everyone who loves children, history, in short, for everyone who loves movies.

LAST REPORT ON ANNA (2009)

3rd Hungarian Film Showcase in London

"Somewhere in the World"
22-28 June 2010

Last Report on Anna (2009)

Director: Marta Meszaros

Q & A with the director (by Aniko Goracz, 15th October 2009, Hungary, source: www.magyar.film.hu)

Q: Was your intention with Anna Kethly to show a positive female character from the 20th century's Hungary to your audience?

A: When I make a film I have no intention to creat a heroic example. I start to work on a screenplay only if I have a feeling that there's an interesting person in the story, and if as a director I'm able to add something to it. This time I had two main goals: to create a realistic picture about the 70s, about its depressing atmosphere and of course to introduce Anna Kethly, her amazing personality, who was always loyal to her own beliefs and in many aspects she was a romantic politician. She has chosen this profession not for the money or the career, but for the ideas she had faith in.

Q: You had previous films that were based on famous women's lives. Is this only a coincidence that your main character is woman in your new film?

A: Well, journalists like to say things like that I'm working only with female heroes. But the truth is that I don't care for the gender, but the personality. I have to say that women in Hungary are very poorly treated in politics, as well as in the world of art. It is very hard to be a writer or politician, than in Poland for example, where we've seen women in wide range of positions, from the national bank to the town hall's chair in Warsaw. Kethly was the one and only woman in the parliament for quite a long time in the 20th century.

Q: Beside your regular actors we see new faces as well in the "Last Report on Anna". How have chosen the right actor to the right character?

A: I do like to work with the same actors in my films. Lili Monori's emphatic appearance has been essential, and it was very important for me to see her on the screen in the key moments of the story. Zsuzsa Cinkoczi's character is simple, but strong personality.

I haven't worked with Eniko Eszenyi before, but while writing the screenplay I knew already, that she is the perfect person to play Anna Kethly. To play someone interesting, feminine, independent and strong, the actor has to have the same attributes in some aspects.

Adel Kovats is thrilling by playing Kethly's antagonist. Erno Fekete is the male protagonist in the film, not very well known, but also a great talent.

Plot: Hungary's most influential emigre politician, Anna Kethly fought dictatorship in her whole life. A young historian-turned-agent from Budapest is given the task to entice her to return home. History, adventure and love entwine to create a compelling end enjoyable story of everyday betrayals and exceptional fidelity.

Eniko Eszenyi, the award-wining actress is the protagonist of Meszaros's film

Profession
1983 - resident member of the Vígszínház
1991 - guest director of the Budapesti Kamaraszínház
1992 – director of the Vígszínház
1996 – guest director in Prague and in Bratislava, in Warsaw and in Washington

Eszenyi Enikő as a director won the award of the best director of the year on several occasions both at the Hungarian Theatre Festival and at the Critics Special Award.

She made her debut with her first production, Leonce and Lena that won seven prizes of the Hungarian Theatre Festival including the best direction and the best production of the season.



The success of this first production recurred in the coming-up seasons: in 1992 West Side Story, which Enikő Eszenyi directed in the biggest theatre of Budapest, in the Vígszínház with an auditorium of 1200 seats won the award of the best direction, and her production of Kate of Heilbronn by Heinrich von Kleist won the award of best production and direction of the year in 1995.


The director Eszenyi Enikő’s unique talent is that she has a special gift to work with actors in a way that will surely be a fascinating and unusual experience for each of them. She has the talent to bring out the hidden potentiality that is inherent in an actor.


Seeing Eszenyi’s production, we will surely admire again and again the brilliant acting, no matter if it is a minor role or a lead. What else could prove this better than the numerous awards that the actors and actresses won after working in Eszenyi Enikő’s productions. With the first production of Leonce and Lena, three actors, Attila Kaszás, Vera Pap and Péter Vallai won the prizes of best actor and actress and best supporting role of the year, while after the production of Kate of Heilbronn, Antal Cserna received the award of best supporting actor at the Hungarian Theatre Festival.

(Source: the information about the actress-director Eniko Eszenyi is from her own website, for more information please visit www.eszenyi.hu)

PUSKAS HUNGARY (2009)

3rd Hungarian Film Showcase in London

"Somewhere in the World"
22-28 June 2010

Puskas Hungary (2009)



Director: Tamas Almasi

About the Director...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2007 - Founding member of the DLA commitee
2006 - Associate Professor, University of Film and Drama, Budapest
2006 - Doctor of Liberal Arts
1999 - University lecturer, University of Film and Drama, Budapest
1993 - Film director, Filmdimenzio Kft
2000 - 2003 D.L.A. student, University of Film and Drama, Budapest (subject of doctoral dissertation: the documentary film)
1979 - 1992 Film director, MAFILM - Hungarian Film Laboratory
1978 - 1979 Associate dierctor, partner of Geza Radvanyi film director
1975 - 1979 Student, Film- and Television Director major, Academy of Film and Drama, Budapest
1970 - 1975 Assistant director, MAFILM - Hungarian Film Laboratory (colleague of Istvan Szabo, Zoltan Fabri, Miklos Jancso)

AWARDS:
2005 - Merited Artist of the Hungarian Republic
2003 - Honorary Freeman of the city of Szekesfehervar
2002 - Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic Knight's Cross
1999 - Pulitzer Prize in Hungary
1998 - Award for Hungarian Culture
1998 - Bezeredi Award
1995 - Balazs Bela Award

MOST IMPORTANT FILM FESTIVALS, AWARDS:
Best Documentary Film, Hungarian Film Week - 5 times
Hungarian entry for the 75th Annual Academy Awards
Best First Film, Special Award, Hungarian Film Week
Main Prize, Category Prize, Camera Hungaria
Hungarian Film Critiques Award - 3 times
Main Prize, Best Documentary Prize, Televison Festival at Miskolc
75th Annual Academy Awards, qualification for the competition
Silver Sestertius Award, Nyon Documentary Festival
Golden Gate Awards, Certificate of Merit, San Francisco
Silver Plaque, International Television Competition, Chicago
Special Mention of Prix International de la SCAM, Cinema de Reel, Paris
Special Mention for Documentary, Karlovy Vary
Prix Europa, Berlin
Prix Italia, Bologna
Prix Italia Television Documentary Awards Special Commendation, Naples
FIPA, Biarritz
Gold Special Prize of the Jury, Houston World Fest.
Silver Remy Prize, Houston World Fest.

About the Film...

Cast: Ferenc Puskas, Elisabeth Puskas, Eva Puskas, Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Raymond Kopa, Gyula Grosics, Jeno Buzanszky, Sir Alex Ferguson, Alfredo di Stefano, Michel Platini

Plot:

Puskas Hungary looks back on the life of the greatest Hungarian sportsman who ever lived. Ferenc Puskas was, however, more than just a mere sportsman. He was the god of Hungarian football, which in the 1950s was admired all over the world. Puskas was loved everywhere he played and lived: in Madrid, in Athens, even in Melbourne people would chant his name in stadiums and ask for his autograph. He was, and still is, THE national ambassador of hungary. Everybody has heard his name. Puskas is the first thing that occurs to a foreigner's mind when they hear the country's name. Puskas is Hungary. The documentary takes us through all the main episodes of Puskas' life, including the hardhips of losing the 1954 World Cup final, and having to emigrate abroad under the communist regime. The film is simple, yet moving. It is about a man who not only received, but gave love to everyone he knew. He never let fame and stardom go to his head. He was a true legend.

(Source of the above material and more information: http//almasitamas.hu/)