By
Tony Farinella
August 30, 2006 - 20:30
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ATTILA SZẢSZ: It's very difficult to get a film made in Hungary, but I think it's the same everywhere. The government supports financially mostly the proven names and the arthouse films - or the surefire comedies which will bring in the local audience. My projects don't fit in this box, so I have to think in terms of international co-productions. Which take much more time to get off the ground. Luckily, I'm not the only one who wants to bring a new palette into Hungarian filmmaking. There are a handful of young directors who already had the chance to get their voice heard and they seem to overtake Hungarian filmmaking from the old regime - which is a healthy process. Guys like Nimród Antal (the director of “Kontroll”), György Pálfi (“Hukkle”, “Taxidermie”) or Szabolcs Hajdu (“White Palms”) are among the ones you'll hear about a lot for sure. But it's worth taking your time and make your first film in Hungary - the professional background is quite amazing. I must tell you that we have the best cinematographers of the world right now. And I'm being serious.
CBB: How did inspiration for your film “Now You See Me, Now You Don't” come about?
AS: I had a few short screenplays already waiting to happen, but after I became a father, completely new and different things started to inspire me. I wanted to tell a story about these new kinds of fears as a parent - and exorcise them at the same time.
CBB: Why did you pick to do a short film and not a feature?
AS: I believe that everyone should make a short before jumping into the overwhelming process of making a feature. Even if I was directing commercials for a few years which gave me a certain routine and confidence, I had to face a completely new challenge when started shooting this short. I've learnt to be prepared one hundred percent and be disciplined, but it's different to shoot for two days and put together a 30-second spot or shoot for six days and then come up with a 30-minute movie. Not to mention that working with actors on their characters is quite a different league of ballgame than telling a model where to look.
CBB: Would you ever want to do a feature film in the future?
AS: You bet. That's what I'm dreaming of since the age of ten.
CBB: What do you hope to accomplish with this film?
AS: I had to prove the world that I can tell a story. That's the most important thing as a filmmaker. This was a necessary step toward the possibility of making a feature. I hope just by having this film as a reference, I'll be able to make my dreams come true. This was my calling card.
CBB: How has your film been received?
AS: I was shocked to see the audience reactions. They responded exactly the way they were supposed to. This was a very important moment for me - the audience justified my lifelong ambition that I have to be a filmmaker. Also the fact, that the film was selected by more than 30 international film festivals so far and received a few awards, including one for Best Director, is a wonderful feedback. You just need this kind of justification to be able to keep doing it against all the odds.
CBB: Who are some of your inspirations in the movie world?
AS: I grew up on Spielberg, his films made me want to be a director. Later on, I was heavily inspired by the eye of David Fincher, the imagination of M. Night Shyamalan, the words of Paul Haggis and the brain of Alejandro Amenabar. They are my heroes.
CBB: Would you ever come to America to make films?
AS: Hell, yes. Wherever I get a chance to make films, I'm there.
CBB: What's next for you, any future projects?
AS: I'm working on a feature script at the moment I hope I'll have the chance to shoot next year. And I already have another script in the drawer which I plan to rewrite in a few years and two other treatments with great potentials. The problem is that I love them all, but until I don't think the screenplay is perfect (at least for me), I don't want to proceed with any of them. And it's an amazingly difficult task - to get the script right.
CBB: Thanks for your time, anything you want to say, or plug before you go?
AS: Well, thank you for the opportunity, and I just would like to encourage everyone to come and see “Now You See Me, Now You Don't” at any of the upcoming film festival screenings and if you like it and have the power or the money to finance my feature, don't hesitate.
To find out more about “Now You See Me, Now You Don't” and its upcoming screenings, visit the Official Website or the MySpace Film Page.
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