István Szabó facts for kids

Quick facts for kids István Szabó
Szabó in 2012
Born	(1938-02-18) 18 February 1938 (age 87) Budapest, Hungary
Nationality	Hungarian
Alma mater	University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1959–present

István Szabó (born 18 February 1938) is a famous Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director. He is one of Hungary's most well-known filmmakers.

Szabó is known for making films that show his unique artistic vision. His movies often explore the difficult history of Central Europe. They also look at the challenges people faced because of politics and war. Many of his stories are inspired by his own life experiences.

His biggest international success was the film Mephisto in 1981. It won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. After this, many of his films were made with help from different countries. He often filmed in various European locations and in different languages.

In 2006, a Hungarian magazine wrote an article about Szabó's past. It said that during Hungary's Communist era, he had worked as an informant for the government's secret police.

Life and Early Career

István Szabó was born in Budapest, Hungary. His father was a doctor, and his family was Jewish but had converted to Catholicism. During World War II, a fascist group called the Arrow Cross Party came to power in Hungary. Because of this, Szabó's family was in danger and had to hide.

Szabó survived by living in an orphanage. Sadly, his father died from an illness shortly after the war ended. These childhood memories would later become important themes in his films.

When he was young, Szabó wanted to be a doctor like his father. But at 16, he read a book about filmmaking and decided to become a director. He was accepted into the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest. There, he studied under the director Félix Máriássy, who became like a father to him.

Filmmaking Journey

Early Hungarian Films

Szabó's career started during a "new wave" of filmmaking in Hungary. This was a time when directors were trying new, creative ideas. His first feature film was The Age of Illusions (1964). It was partly based on his own life and the challenges his generation faced.

His next film, Father (1966), was a major success. It's a story about a boy growing up without a father during a time of great change in Hungary. The film won top prizes at film festivals and made Szabó famous around the world.

He continued to make films that explored memory and history. 25 Fireman Street (1973) shows the dreams and memories of people living in one apartment building in Budapest. The film covers 30 years of Hungarian history, including two world wars.

The Brandauer Trilogy

In the 1980s, Szabó began a new phase in his career. He made three films with the Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer. These movies were made in German and became famous internationally. They are often called a trilogy because they share a similar theme. They explore how people make difficult moral choices to gain power or success.

Mephisto (1981)

Mephisto is his most celebrated film. It tells the story of an actor in Nazi Germany who becomes successful by cooperating with the government. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This award brought Szabó worldwide recognition.

Colonel Redl (1985)

In Colonel Redl, Brandauer plays a high-ranking officer in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The officer is blackmailed into spying for Russia to prevent a personal secret from being revealed. The film won awards in Germany and the UK.

Hanussen (1988)

The last film in the trilogy is Hanussen. Brandauer plays a man who claims to see the future. His fame brings him into close and dangerous contact with the rising Nazi party.

Later International Films

After the Brandauer trilogy, Szabó continued to make films with international partners.

• Meeting Venus (1991) was his first comedy and his first film in English. It's based on his own experience directing an opera in Paris. The story is about the challenges of different European cultures working together.

• Sweet Emma, Dear Böbe (1992) is a Hungarian film about two teachers. They struggle to adapt to life after the fall of communism in Hungary. The film won a top prize at the Berlin Film Festival.

• Sunshine (1999) is one of his most ambitious films. This three-hour epic tells the story of a Hungarian Jewish family over three generations. The actor Ralph Fiennes plays a member of each generation. The family faces major historical events, from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the Holocaust and the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

• Being Julia (2004) stars Annette Bening as a famous actress in 1930s London. Bening won a Golden Globe Award for her performance.

• The Door (2012) is an English-language film starring Helen Mirren. It focuses on the complex relationship between a writer and her mysterious housekeeper.

Themes and Style in His Films

Szabó's films often explore a few key ideas. One of the most common is the connection between a person's private life and big historical events. His characters often find their lives changed by politics and war.

Another important theme is moral compromise. His films ask questions about the difficult choices people make to survive or succeed. This is a central idea in his Brandauer trilogy.

Art, especially theater and music, is also a common theme. In films like Mephisto, he shows how artists can get caught up in political conflicts.

His filmmaking style is known for its psychological depth. He often uses long close-up shots to show the emotions on his characters' faces. He also uses places and objects as symbols. For example, tram cars appear in many of his films and represent journeys and connections.

Other Work

Besides directing movies, Szabó has also directed several operas, including Tannhäuser in Paris and Il Trovatore in Vienna. He has also taught at film schools in London, Berlin, and Vienna. In 1989, he helped create the European Film Academy.

Selected Filmography

• The Age of Illusions (1965)
• Father (1966)
• Lovefilm (1970)
• 25 Fireman Street (1973)
• Budapest Tales (1977)
• Confidence (1980)
• Mephisto (1981)
• Colonel Redl (1985)
• Hanussen (1988)
• Meeting Venus (1991)
• Sweet Emma, Dear Böbe (1992)
• Sunshine (1999)
• Taking Sides (2001)
• Being Julia (2004)
• The Door (2012)
• Zárójelentés (2020)

See also

In Spanish: István Szabó para niños

• Cinema of Hungary
• Culture of Hungary
• Jacob Sager Weinstein