Hungarian director István Szabó makes new movie with Ralph Fiennes, Viggo Mortensen, Charlotte Rampling – first photos

István Szabó, the Oscar-winning creator of Mephisto, is directing a film adaptation of Sandor Márai’s novel Embers, starring Ralph Fiennes, Viggo Mortensen and Charlotte Rampling.

Psychological duel between “Voldemort and Aragorn”

Filming is already under way in Budapest for the adaptation of Márai’s 1942 novel, Hollywood news portal Deadline.com said on Wednesday. The screenplay is by Christopher Hampton, who won an Oscar for his 1988 adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons, while the producer is Robert Lantos, known for films such as Sunshine and Being Julia, both directed by Szabó, the Hungarian News Agency wrote.

According to the official synopsis, the film described as a “psychological duel” reunites two inseparable friends, Henrik (Fiennes) and Konrád (Mortensen). Decades after Konrád’s mysterious disappearance, they uncover the secret at the heart of their estrangement, centred on a woman, over the course of a single evening.

One of the finest works of 20th-century literature

Hampton first adapted Márai’s novel into a stage play in 2006, which premiered in London’s West End.

“Since Christopher Hampton sent it to me, Robert Lantos and I have been waiting to bring to life the best screenplay I’ve ever received,” Szabó was quoted as saying.

“The Márai novel it is based on is one of the finest works of 20th-century literature, and Christopher has adapted it perfectly for the screen,” he added.

Fiennes was also quoted: “I have long hoped to work with István Szabó again…”

The cast also includes Charlotte Rampling, Katherine Langford, Louis Hofmann, Gijs Blom, Evelyne Brochu and Jonah Russell. The film’s score is composed by Mychael Danna, with production design by Attila Kovács, cinematography by Daniel Garas, costume design by Bea Merkovits, editing by David Wharnsby, and casting by Nina Gold.

The project is a co-production of Serendipity Point Films, HGO Films, and Potboiler Productions. According to a government decree, the Media Support and Asset Management Fund (MTVA) will participate as a co-production partner in the international co-production of the film, as outlined in the letter of support issued by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation. The film is supported by Beta Film, Bell Media and CBC Films.

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