Background:

Hungarian film director and screenwriter Istvan Szabo achieved international stardom in the early 1980s thanks to the big screen version of “Mephisto” (1981), which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Making an auspicious feature directorial debut with “Age of Illusions” (1965), the Budapest, Hungary native continued to receive acclaim with “Father” (1966), “25 Fireman Street” (1973) and “Confidence” (1990) before starting a successful collaboration with the Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer in “Mephisto.” The two reunited for the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated films “Colonel Redl” (1985) and “Hanussen” (1988). Szabo gained further recognition with other international co-production movies like “Sunshine” (1999), “Taking Sides” (2001) and “Being Julia” (2004). His latest film, “The Door,” starring Helen Mirren, was released in Hungary on March 8, 2012. One of the most striking directors to come forth from the Hungarian New Cinema of the '60s, Szabo has amassed a number of awards for his films. He also won the 1985 David di Donatello Luchino Visconti Award, the Hand Printing at the 2006 Pusan International Film Festival and the Lifetime Achievement Awards from the 1998 Istanbul International Film Festival, the 2004 Copenhagen International Film Festival and the 2005 Film by the Sea International Film Festival.     

Apart from directing, Szabó is also a Guest Professor at various film schools including London, Berlin and Vienna, where he lectures in film history.


Son of Doctor

Childhood and Family:

In Budapest, Hungary, Istvan Szabo was born on February 18, 1938, to István Szabó, a doctor, and Mária. He was raised in Tatabánya until the age of six when his family returned back to Budapest. His  family converted from Jewish to Catholic. Initially, Istvan wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father to become a doctor, but after reading a book by Hungarian film theorist Béla Balázs, a then 16 year old Istvan subsequently renewed his goal to become a film director. After high school, he was accepted into the prestigious Academy of Theatrical and Cinematic Arts, in which he studied with the celebrated director Félix Máriássy and classmates like Imre Gyöngyössy, Zsolt Kézdi-Kovács, Judit Elek, Janos Rozsa, Pál Gábor, Ferenc Kardos and Zoltan Huszárik.


Sunshine

Career:

Istvan Szabo made several short films during his time at Budapest's Academy of Theatrical and Cinematic Arts. His student film, “Koncert” (1961), was nominated for the 1964 Oscar in the category of Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects. Lured by his success on the film, he was hired to work at  the Béla Bálazs film studio, where he gained additional acclaim for two short films he made in 1963, “Variáciòk egy témára” (“Variations on a Theme”)  and “Te” (“You”), which won the Special Mention for Short Film at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival. Thanks to the help of János Herskó, the head of the Hunnia Studio at which he apprenticed, Szabo eventually made his feature directorial debut with the drama “Age of Illusions” (1965), which brought him the Silver Sail for Best First Work at the 1965 Locarno International Film Festival. His sophomore effort, “Father” (1966), coming of age story that demonstrates Szabó’s mounting attraction to history and memory, won the Special Prize of the Jury at the Locarno International Film Festival and Grand Prix at the Moscow International Film Festival. The film propelled Szabó to international promience.

In 1970, Szabo directed and wrote “Lovefilm” (“Szerelmesfilm”), a drama centering on the relationship between a young man and his childhood sweetheart. Starring Judit Halász and András Bálint, the film was chosen as the Hungarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 43rd Academy Awards, though it was declined as a nominee. After “Budapest, Why I Love It” (1971), he directed and co-wrote (with Luca Karall) the drama/history film “25 Fireman Street” (“Tüzoltó utca 25.”, 1973), starring Lucyna Winnicka, Margit Makay and Károly Kovács. It won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and Golden Leopard at the 1974 Locarno International Film Festival.

After a four year absence, Szabo returned to feature film directing with the drama “Budapest Tales” (“Budapesti mesék”), which he also wrote. The film was entered into the 1977 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for Palme d'Or. In 1980, he directed and wrote the critically acclaimed drama “Bizalom” (“Confidence”), which was set in World War II involving a couple escaping from the Nazis. The film earned Szabo the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Director and the Interfilm Award - Special Recommendation, Competition at the 1980 Berlin International Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1981.

Still in 1980, Szabo made his first non-Hungarian movie, a German romance drama called “Der grüne Vogel.” However, he did not score a huge victory until he directed the film adaptation of  Klaus Mann's novel, “Mephisto” (1981), which starred Klaus Maria Brandauer as Hendrik Höfgen. A co-production between companies in West Germany, Hungary and Austria, the film picked up the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1982, in addition to the National Board of Review for Best Foreign Language Film and Top Foreign Films and the London Critics Circle Film ALFS Award for Foreign Language Film of the Year. For his work on the film, Szabo received the FIPRESCI Prize and Best Screenplay Award as well as  Palme d'Or nomination at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, a David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero), a Guild Film Award - Silver for Foreign Film (Ausländischer Film) and the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Silver Ribbon for Best Director - Foreign Film (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero).     

After directing the made for television films “Levél apámhoz” (1982), “Katzenspiel” (1983) and “Bali” (1984), Szabo reunited with Klaus Maria Brandauer for the 1985 drama film “Colonel Redl,” which based on the play “A Patriot for Me” by British playwright John Osborne. Telling the life story of an Austrian Imperial military officer Alfred Redl who was blackmailed into spying for the Russian secret service to forbid the revelation of his homosexuality, the film received both an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Foreign Film  for Best Foreign Language Film (Hungary) and won the BAFTA Film Award for Best Foreign Language Film, which he shared with Manfred Durniok. The film also brought Szabo the Jury Prize and Palme d'Or nomination from the 1985 Cannes Film Festival. His third film with Brandauer, “Hanussen” (1988), about Erik Jan Hanussen, a clairvoyant performer whose increasing fame brings him into more and more close and dangerous contact with the Nazis, again was nominated for both the Oscar and Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Szabo  received Palme d'Or nomination at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival and a 1990 Independent Spirit nomination in the category of Best Foreign Film for his efforts.   

In 1991, Szabo directed and co-wrote the British/American/Japanese movie “Meeting Venus,” starring Glenn Close, Niels Arestrup, Marián Labuda, Victor Poletti, Jay O. Sanders, Maria de Medeiros and Johanna ter Steege. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 13, 1991, where it won the Golden Ciak for Best Actress and was nominated for the Golden Lion. He went on to co-write and helm the Hungarian film “Sweet Emma, Dear Böbe – Sketches, Nudes” (1992), from which he netted the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention for Competition, the Silver Berlin Bear for Special Jury Prize and Golden Berlin Bear nomination at the 1992 Berlin International Film Festival and the European Film Award for Best Screenwriter.  

In 1999, Szabo directed and co-wrote (with Israel Horovitz) the historical film “Sunshine,” which starred Ralph Fiennes as Adam Sors, a Jewish fencing champion at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany. An international co-production among companies from Germany, Austria, Hungary and Canada, the film won the Genie Award for Best Motion Picture and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama and an European Film Award for Best Film. Szabo himself took home a European Film for Best Screenwriter, a Writers Guild of Canada Award, the Hungarian Film Critics Special Award, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director - Motion Picture and a Genie nomination for Best Achievement in Direction for his work in the film.     

In 2001, Szabo resurfaced with “Taking Sides,” a German/French/Austrian/British co-production starring Harvey Keitel and Stellan Skarsgård. It brought the director the Flaiano Film Festival Award for Best Director, the Hungarian Film Critics Special Award, the Best Director Award and SIGNIS Award from the Mar del Plata Film Festival and the Jury Prize at the Valenciennes International Festival of Action and Adventure Films. In the following year, he directed the segment “Ten Minutes After” of “Ten Minutes Older: The Cello.”

In 2004, Szabo directed the Canadian/American/Hungarian/British co-production “Being Julia,” which was an adaptation of the 1937 novel “Theatre” by W. Somerset Maugham. Starring Annette Bening and Jeremy Irons, the drama earned moderately positive review, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Bening). It won the director a Golden Kinnaree nomination for Best Film at the 2005 Bangkok International Film Festival, an Audience Award nomination for Best Director at the European Film Awards and a Goya nomination for  Best European Film (Mejor Película Europea). The film grossed $7,739,049 in the US and $6,600,122 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $14,339,171.  

In 2006, Szabo directed and co-wrote the Hungarian drama film “Rokonok,”  starring Sándor Csányi, Ildikó Tóth and Károly Eperjes, For his work on the film, he picked up a Grand Prix nomination at the Ghent International Film Festival and the Golden St. George nomination at the Moscow International Film Festival. The same year, he also had a small role as stock marketeer in the Czech film “I Served the King of England,” which was helmed and scripted by Jiří Menzel.

Recently, in 2012, Szabo directed Helen Mirren, Martina Gedeck and Károly Eperjes in the German/Hungarian co-production drama “The Door,” with the screenplay he co-wrote based on a novel by Magda Szabó. The film was released in Hungary on March 8, 2012 and is set to be released in Germany on April 5, 2012.


Awards:

Pusan International Film Festival: Hand Printing, 2006
Film by the Sea International Film Festival: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2005
Copenhagen International Film Festival: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2004
Hungarian Film Critics: Special Award, “Taking Sides,” 2003
Flaiano Film Festival: Best Director, “Taking Sides,” 2002
Mar del Plata Film Festival: Best Director, “Taking Sides,” 2002
Mar del Plata Film Festival: SIGNIS Award, “Taking Sides,” 2002
Valenciennes International Festival of Action and Adventure Films: Jury Prize, “Taking Sides,” 2002
Hungarian Film Critics: Special Award, “Sunshine,” 2001
Writers Guild of Canada (WGC): “Sunshine,” 2000
European Film: Best Screenwriter, “Sunshine,” 1999
Istanbul International Film Festival: Lifetime Achievement Award, 1998
Berlin International Film Festival: Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention, Competition, “Édes Emma, drága Böbe - vázlatok, aktok,” 1992
Berlin International Film Festival: Silver Berlin Bear, Special Jury Prize, “Édes Emma, drága Böbe - vázlatok, aktok,” 1992
European Film: Best Screenwriter, “Edes Emma, drága Böbe - vázlatok, aktok,” 1992
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: European Silver Ribbon, 1992
BAFTA: Film Award, Best Foreign Language Film, “Colonel Redl,” 1986
Cannes Film Festival: Jury Prize, “Colonel Redl,” 1985
David di Donatello: Luchino Visconti Award, 1985     
Guild of German Art House Cinemas: Guild Film Award – Silver,     Foreign Film (Ausländischer Film), “Mephisto,” 1983
David di Donatello: David, Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero), “Mephisto,” 1982
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Silver Ribbon, “Best Director - Foreign Film (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero), “Mephisto,” 1982
Cannes Film Festival: FIPRESCI Prize, “Mephisto,” 1981
Cannes Film Festival: Best Screenplay, “Mephisto,” 1981
Berlin International Film Festival: Interfilm Award - Special Recommendation, Competition, “Bizalom,” 1980
Berlin International Film Festival: Silver Berlin Bear, Best Director, “Bizalom,” 1980
Locarno International Film Festival: Golden Leopard, “Tüzoltó utca 25.,” 1974
Locarno International Film Festival: Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, “Tüzoltó utca 25.,” 1974
Locarno International Film Festival: Special Prize of the Jury, “Father,” 1967
Moscow International Film Festival: Grand Prix, “Father,” 1967
Locarno International Film Festival: Silver Sail, Best First Work, “Age of Illusions,” 1965
Cannes Film Festival: Special Mention, Short Film, “You,” 1963 Show Less