IMRE MAZLO
Your project has entered in our festival. What is your project about?
This is a 30 minute story of the last First Secretary of the Hungarian People's Republic. He is not a person driven by some lofty interest but by a far worse and most evil force. Money, greed for power, untouchability, stupidity and materialism. I believe there are people around having always respected all the ten commandments without failure in their lives, but I have never ever met one like that. We are not without sins, but we must strive for the good. My film demonstrates how easy it is to make mistakes one after the other, and even in one morning break all the fundemantals that make a person human.
What are your ambitions with your project?
I would like to open the eyes of many people towards those who, because of some idea or some selfish reasons devote their possible salvation for the sake of a better eartlhly life. I think there is a kind of self sacrifice arising from human ignorance combined with some false sense of untouchability, thereby distorting the judgement of strong, upright people. I am convinced that holy people do not sacrifice the salvation of their souls, they are good because they obey God's rules and laws, since they want to get to heaven. We can say they are driven by self interest. On the contrary, those who, such as criminals and politicians, throw away the eternal orders in the hope of earthly prosperity. Here, too, we can distinguish between two types of criminals and politicians. The good criminal, so to speak, breaks God's commandments in order to help those in need, like some kind of Robin Hood. He takes it from the rich and gives it to the poor, knowing that he will most likely not go to heaven because of it. Despite everything, he accepts the punishment after life on earth. The evilish one only looks at the well-being of himself and his immediate environment. A good politician chooses the wrong path because he has sworn to protect his state and its people. Therefore, if necessary, he starts a war, lies, even kills.
Tell us something about your shooting? What pleasantly surprised you?
Based on my experience so far, it was the easiest shoot. I worked with a very small, but all the more professional crew. Everyone was touched by the film's message for the first time. It is not visible in the recording, but the one apartment in which we see the actions was recorded in four locations and no rent was charged for any of them. Perhaps the most surprising thing was that when they heard the story, no one wanted to make a quick buck out of it.
For what group of spectators is your film targeted?
I would not like it to be a film just for the target group, because we have revealed something valid for all of us in it. It tells the same thing to the elderly and parents that it is not too late to change, but also to the children and young people that it is their time. Being good is sexy!
Why should distributors buy your film?
Because it conveys something that many people have already tried to "shove" down people's throats - with more or less success - but perhaps in this form the story is even more original and contemporary. In the past, opening up a set of problems that still exists now in the light of the universal commandments was a suitable challenge and I feel that it achieved the expected result.
How would you specify your work? What characterizes your film?
Based on a very sharp script, it is a tragedy saturated with humor, which, depending on its possibilities and limits, can even be a "guidance" for life with some grandeur.
Why did you decided to become a filmmaker?
It was a teenage dream. Acting never particularly interested me. It was the background work that got me. Then I thought about it once in the USA and enrolled in advertising and marketing, where I also studied filmmaking. I started there at the amateur level. Unfortunately, I have not been an artist in filmmaking since then, but I have become a good industrialist.
Who is your role model?
I don't have a real film role model. There are directors and writers who have influenced me to some extent when I was young. Such is Peter Greenway, who is one of the greatest for me, along with Stanley Kubrick.
Which movies are your favorites? Why?
Difficult question, there are many... but perhaps P.G.: The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, then Rosencranz and Guildenstern are Dead, Adrian Lyne: Jacob's Ladder, Stanley Kubrick: Pahts of Glory: Paths of Glory
Where do you look for inspiration for your films?
Since I don't yet have many opportunities to receive better and better offers on various topics, I mostly pay attention to the stories in my immediate environment. This is how many ideas came about, any of which could be a box office success, not just an artistry. So life has given me the most inspiration so far.
Which topics interest you the most?
This is not an easy question either, because if someone is open to the world, a bunch of topics will come back to him. But, if I had to choose, perhaps I can't stand human stupidity, malice and insatiability at all, so I like topics against them the most.
But I am equally interested in criminal matters and political topics.
What do you consider your greatest achievement in your career?
Maybe that my name will be better known in Hungary as a result of a short film. And that I can be a member of a "club" that has proven that a barely 8-minute film can be made with the same will as a feature film. And it is even recognized with awards in many parts of the world.
What do you consider most important about filming?
Maybe that we must respect the moviegoers and we must not underestimate them. If we are already spending mega monies on a film, then let's communicate a good and appropriate truth and lesson with the film. We should not want to falsify history at any cost.
Which film technique of shooting do you consider the best?
I don't have a favorite technique. So far, my options have been quite limited. Frankly speaking, because of the money. And since I had never shot a film before, it really excites my imagination; my big favorites are Technicolor films.
How would you rate/What is your opinion about current filmmaking?
At the festivals, we can see extremely strong films with a strong point to make and huge talents from both sides of the camera, but these days there are few cinemas where these films win the prize. In big cinemas, money dominates more and more. That's why streaming providers are needed.
What can disappoint you in a movie?
The lack of instances when the actor's gesture and body language tell you what the actor's actual thoughts are and what turn the story will take in the next moment. This also represents how good the understanding and co-operation are between actor and director.
Who supports you in your film career?
I work mostly on my own, but there are one or two people who help a lot with all my ideas. For example, by saying: "Let it go, it's not so good!" But many colleagues also support me, if I want to do something they are there for me!
What are the reactions to your film? (opinion of spectators, film critics, friends and family)
Interestingly, after my two children, this was the first thing that everyone agreed on. „Well done Imi!" It was possible to open up certain problems (that still exist) in the past through perpetual laws. All this while observing a grotesque figure. I had a similar goal.
Have you already visited any of the prestigious film festivals?
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to go as a candidate to any one yet, because I always had something else to do, but I've been to Karlovy Vary to mention one big one.
What are your future plans in filmmaking carriere?
I would like to bring a true story set in the 1950s to the screen. Full of unimaginable action, an explanation that only life can produce.
This is a 30 minute story of the last First Secretary of the Hungarian People's Republic. He is not a person driven by some lofty interest but by a far worse and most evil force. Money, greed for power, untouchability, stupidity and materialism. I believe there are people around having always respected all the ten commandments without failure in their lives, but I have never ever met one like that. We are not without sins, but we must strive for the good. My film demonstrates how easy it is to make mistakes one after the other, and even in one morning break all the fundemantals that make a person human.
What are your ambitions with your project?
I would like to open the eyes of many people towards those who, because of some idea or some selfish reasons devote their possible salvation for the sake of a better eartlhly life. I think there is a kind of self sacrifice arising from human ignorance combined with some false sense of untouchability, thereby distorting the judgement of strong, upright people. I am convinced that holy people do not sacrifice the salvation of their souls, they are good because they obey God's rules and laws, since they want to get to heaven. We can say they are driven by self interest. On the contrary, those who, such as criminals and politicians, throw away the eternal orders in the hope of earthly prosperity. Here, too, we can distinguish between two types of criminals and politicians. The good criminal, so to speak, breaks God's commandments in order to help those in need, like some kind of Robin Hood. He takes it from the rich and gives it to the poor, knowing that he will most likely not go to heaven because of it. Despite everything, he accepts the punishment after life on earth. The evilish one only looks at the well-being of himself and his immediate environment. A good politician chooses the wrong path because he has sworn to protect his state and its people. Therefore, if necessary, he starts a war, lies, even kills.
Tell us something about your shooting? What pleasantly surprised you?
Based on my experience so far, it was the easiest shoot. I worked with a very small, but all the more professional crew. Everyone was touched by the film's message for the first time. It is not visible in the recording, but the one apartment in which we see the actions was recorded in four locations and no rent was charged for any of them. Perhaps the most surprising thing was that when they heard the story, no one wanted to make a quick buck out of it.
For what group of spectators is your film targeted?
I would not like it to be a film just for the target group, because we have revealed something valid for all of us in it. It tells the same thing to the elderly and parents that it is not too late to change, but also to the children and young people that it is their time. Being good is sexy!
Why should distributors buy your film?
Because it conveys something that many people have already tried to "shove" down people's throats - with more or less success - but perhaps in this form the story is even more original and contemporary. In the past, opening up a set of problems that still exists now in the light of the universal commandments was a suitable challenge and I feel that it achieved the expected result.
How would you specify your work? What characterizes your film?
Based on a very sharp script, it is a tragedy saturated with humor, which, depending on its possibilities and limits, can even be a "guidance" for life with some grandeur.
Why did you decided to become a filmmaker?
It was a teenage dream. Acting never particularly interested me. It was the background work that got me. Then I thought about it once in the USA and enrolled in advertising and marketing, where I also studied filmmaking. I started there at the amateur level. Unfortunately, I have not been an artist in filmmaking since then, but I have become a good industrialist.
Who is your role model?
I don't have a real film role model. There are directors and writers who have influenced me to some extent when I was young. Such is Peter Greenway, who is one of the greatest for me, along with Stanley Kubrick.
Which movies are your favorites? Why?
Difficult question, there are many... but perhaps P.G.: The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, then Rosencranz and Guildenstern are Dead, Adrian Lyne: Jacob's Ladder, Stanley Kubrick: Pahts of Glory: Paths of Glory
Where do you look for inspiration for your films?
Since I don't yet have many opportunities to receive better and better offers on various topics, I mostly pay attention to the stories in my immediate environment. This is how many ideas came about, any of which could be a box office success, not just an artistry. So life has given me the most inspiration so far.
Which topics interest you the most?
This is not an easy question either, because if someone is open to the world, a bunch of topics will come back to him. But, if I had to choose, perhaps I can't stand human stupidity, malice and insatiability at all, so I like topics against them the most.
But I am equally interested in criminal matters and political topics.
What do you consider your greatest achievement in your career?
Maybe that my name will be better known in Hungary as a result of a short film. And that I can be a member of a "club" that has proven that a barely 8-minute film can be made with the same will as a feature film. And it is even recognized with awards in many parts of the world.
What do you consider most important about filming?
Maybe that we must respect the moviegoers and we must not underestimate them. If we are already spending mega monies on a film, then let's communicate a good and appropriate truth and lesson with the film. We should not want to falsify history at any cost.
Which film technique of shooting do you consider the best?
I don't have a favorite technique. So far, my options have been quite limited. Frankly speaking, because of the money. And since I had never shot a film before, it really excites my imagination; my big favorites are Technicolor films.
How would you rate/What is your opinion about current filmmaking?
At the festivals, we can see extremely strong films with a strong point to make and huge talents from both sides of the camera, but these days there are few cinemas where these films win the prize. In big cinemas, money dominates more and more. That's why streaming providers are needed.
What can disappoint you in a movie?
The lack of instances when the actor's gesture and body language tell you what the actor's actual thoughts are and what turn the story will take in the next moment. This also represents how good the understanding and co-operation are between actor and director.
Who supports you in your film career?
I work mostly on my own, but there are one or two people who help a lot with all my ideas. For example, by saying: "Let it go, it's not so good!" But many colleagues also support me, if I want to do something they are there for me!
What are the reactions to your film? (opinion of spectators, film critics, friends and family)
Interestingly, after my two children, this was the first thing that everyone agreed on. „Well done Imi!" It was possible to open up certain problems (that still exist) in the past through perpetual laws. All this while observing a grotesque figure. I had a similar goal.
Have you already visited any of the prestigious film festivals?
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to go as a candidate to any one yet, because I always had something else to do, but I've been to Karlovy Vary to mention one big one.
What are your future plans in filmmaking carriere?
I would like to bring a true story set in the 1950s to the screen. Full of unimaginable action, an explanation that only life can produce.