HFF 2015 Interview: The Ambassador to Bern Director Attila Szász

On August 16, 1958, two Hungarian immigrants broke into the Hungarian embassy in Bern and took the ambassador hostage. As the Swiss police surround the building and a group of Hungarian immigrants shows up on the street to demonstrate, a tense, twist-filled hostage drama plays out behind the closed doors of the embassy. Based on a true story about the aftermath of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. The Ambassador to Bern is a 2015 Heartland Film Festival Official Selection, Narrative Feature.

We spoke with Director Attila Szász about his film:

HF: What is your film about, and how did the project come to be?

AS: The Ambassador to Bern is based on a true event: the 1958 attack against the Hungarian embassy in Bern, Switzerland. The film’s writer sent me the script to see if I was interested in directing it. The script was so compelling and suspenseful, it got me right away, so I said yes. That’s how it happened.

HF: What was your role in the production?

AS: I was the director.

HF: Why did you submit to the Heartland Film Festival? Have you been to the Festival before?

AS: No, I haven’t been to this festival before, but I heard a lot of great things about it. Actually I was contacted by the festival and asked if I wanted to send a screener of my film to the selection committee. I was surprised, because I didn’t think of our film as a “Truly Moving Picture”, but I said of course, anyway. I was truly surprised that we got selected.

HF: This year’s tagline is “Movies That Stay with You” – what lasting effect will your film have on moviegoers?

AS: Hopefully they will learn a piece of a forgotten episode of Hungarian history. I hope they will find out what Hungarian people went through when they choose to leave their home in 1956 and how desperate they were to fight for what they believed in: freedom. Even years later as well.

HF: What has inspired you to become a filmmaker?

AS: I was in love with movies since the age of 8. But I was more interested in how movies are made, so that was set from the beginning: I needed to be a director. Even if I didn’t get the chance to direct my first feature-length film before I turned 40.

HF: What is something that you know about filmmaking now, but you weren’t told when you started your career?

AS: I never knew or even imagined that – aside from casting and the screenplay – the most important element of moviemaking is the right production schedule. If you don’t have a big enough budget to realize your ideas, the whole result will depend on how you prepare your production schedule. It’s everything.

HF: What are some of your favorite movies? What’s your favorite worst movie (you know it’s bad, but still love it)?

AS: I grew up being in love with Steven Spielberg’s movies. He was my number one inspiration – and to a certain degree, he still is. I also love the movies of David Fincher, Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese. They’re the greatest.

HF: How many film festivals has your film been a part of? What do you like the most about the festival experience?

AS: The Ambassador to Bern has been invited to over 30 film festivals so far. The most exciting part is when you have the chance to watch your film with the audience. To see them discovering your work for the first time – it’s truly inspiring. Especially if they react to it the way they suppose to – that’s magic.

HF: Heartland Film Festival moviegoers love filmmaker Q&As. Let’s say a Festival attendee wants to earn some brownie points—what is a question that you’d love to answer, but haven’t yet been asked?

AS: That’s easy. The question I look forward the most is: “Mr. Szasz, I love your work and I happen to have a shitload amount of money I’d love to invest in your next movie. Do you have any project you’re working on at the moment?” 🙂