David Cronenberg
Canadian film directors David Cronenberg and Atom Egoyan, along with Robert Lantos, producer of several of their films, will be guests of honor at the Budapest Classic Film Marathon, a festival organized by the National Film Institute (NFI), in September.
The NFI highlighted that Robert Lantos has supported the unique style and artistic vision of the two directors, producing such successful films as The Sweet Hereafter, Crash, eXistenZ, Eastern Promises, Ararat, The Captive, and Remember, all of which will be screened at the Budapest Classic Film Marathon.
The three filmmakers will personally present their films to the audience at the festival: David Cronenberg is visiting Budapest for the first time, while Atom Egoyan is returning to the Hungarian capital after 20 years.
The NFI is organizing the eighth Budapest Classic Film Marathon, featuring restored Hungarian and foreign films, from September 16 to 21.
A producer does his job best when he does not direct, but supports. I work with directors who have a strong vision, and my job is to help them bring that vision to the screen, not to reshape it,”
said Lantos, quoting his views on producing in the press release.
With Armenian roots, Egoyan’s films explore themes of identity and coming to terms with the past, which began with the 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter, which immediately won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, the FIPRESCI Prize, and two Oscar nominations.
The film depicts the aftermath of a small-town tragedy, sensitively exploring the origins of grief, guilt, secrets, interests, and conflicts lurking beneath the surface, according to the press release.
“Robert not only supports me, he encourages me. With him, I did not have to compromise. He ensures artistic freedom while always wanting to bring out the best in you,” Egoyan said earlier when asked what ensures the solid foundation of their alliance.
Photo: NFI
Their first joint work, which was well received, was followed by others: such as Ararat in 2002, depicting the historical trauma of the Armenian genocide and its impact on generations, and The Captive in 2005, examining the complex relationship between the media, prejudice, and the search for truth in a true crime story.
Lantos also has close professional ties to David Cronenberg, who made his name with body horror films but also likes to explore the limits of technology and the human psyche in his films.
One of their best-known collaborations is Crash (1996), which caused a huge scandal with its provocative theme—the bizarre intertwining of car accidents and sexuality—and was banned in several countries at the time of its release.
In Cannes, however, the film received a special prize from the prestigious festival jury for its raw, cold aesthetic portrayal of the alienation of modern society.
“Robert sees the truth behind disturbing stories and is not afraid to expose them to the general public,” said David Cronenberg, summarizing his opinion of the producer, with whom he later collaborated on the 1999 thriller Existenz, which blurs the boundaries between virtual and reality, and the brutal mafia story Eastern Promises, released in 2007. The latter is considered one of the director’s most successful and accessible films, with Viggo Mortensen nominated for an Oscar for his leading role.
The Budapest Classic Film Marathon, founded in 2017, has previously featured such filmmakers as Claudia Cardinale, Pierre Richard, Udo Kier, Jean-Marc Barr, Kevin and Andrew Macdonald, Wim Wenders, and Costa Gavras.
Via MTI; Featured photo: Wikipedia
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