- Occupation
Producer, Director - Country
Hungary
Lakatos Róbert
Across the Border
Five directors from Central Europe contribute to making an international film reflecting a unique moment of forming of a new European community.
Bahrtalo! Good Luck!
How to hit the Jackpot? This question is not a simple one to answer for anybody. But it's even harder to solve for the two friends in this neo-realistic comedy: the "big hat" Gypsy and his Hungarian buddy - both of them Transylvanians. Many times they don't succeed, but when they do, their success doesn't last long. Yet they know something not a lot of us know: how to enjoy life. A road movie about two Transylvanian friends, Lali and Lori, who will stop at nothing to make it big. Director Róbert Lakatos follows the two men on a hilarious and pointless trip to Austria, and later when they end up in Egypt to sell a German Shepherd. The charismatic Lali negotiates on everything, even stuff that's nailed down, revealing his Eastern European bravura but also his flair. No setback will deter him, no matter how big. When the men finally have their finances in order, they quickly lose all their money on senseless knickknacks. Lakatos sets up the situations, but the men play themselves. Clad in an enormous moustache and hat, Lali doesn't take the slightest notice of the ways of the world and always manages to talk his way in. From a Viennese flea market to the foot of the pyramids, Lali might drive Lori crazy, but the friendship between the two men remains intact. Lakatos illustrates the differences between East and West in a relaxed and playful manner. His camera documents the events without interruptions, as if they were scenes from a feature film.
Goisern Goes East
Enjoy a concert tour by ship. The Austrian musician Hubert von Goisern is crossing the East of Europe on the Danube from Austria to the Black Sea. He invites excellent musicians from the local pop and jazz scene. These musical and personal encounters along the shore are reflecting the changing cultures and their powerful expressions.
Casino Transsylvanie
Róbert Lakatos's new experimental documentary is a 'moving postcard' from modern Transylvania. We see images of Moldavian people in a masquerade, Gypsy musicians, stray dogs in 'very realistic' locations: at the railway station, in front of the blocks of flats, at the market, in the busy streets of Cluj. Straightforwardly, without bathos, he author picks up the crumbs of our 'cultural inheritance' on the asphalt of the big, Transylvanian city with its prestigious past. "Sir Real shakes the unknown sieve. How can we know what will slip through?"
Moszny
The construction of large housing estates began in the 1980s. Private homes that stood in the way of the future housing complex were demolished and the people, usually against their will, were re-located; among them was the Moszny family. Only Jozsef Moszny never left. The old man still lives in the dilapidated cottage, his cows graze among the prefab buildings, and he wages a private war with bureaucrats that fine him for the devastated lawns. While by telephone he still fights for justice, he is afraid that once the reservoir by his property is filled he will lose his cattle and his home. For two years the director shot this film about a man on the margins of the modern world on location in Koloszvar, where Hungarian and Romanian are spoken. Unlike Lakatos's previous films, his native Transylvania is not portrayed as a remote folkloric corner of Europe but the front line of growing social tension. In his characteristically tense style he observes a man in the act of resisting the environment into which he is being mercilessly pulled by external forces, metaphorically represented by the remote bureaucrats. Moszny ultimately is forced to sell his cows and calves. He is part of a generation that cannot start a new life, and we know that the old man has no way of going on. The documentary sheds light on the nature of material need and powerlessness. It does not seek to justify or defend, explain or cite causes; it simply depicts a situation in which man no longer has a choice.
The Kingdom of Silence
How important could a camera be to a ten-year-old child in the Land of Silence? Because thoughts are very difficult to express using sign language. This film is about experiences and emotions.
Five directors from Central Europe contribute to making an international film reflecting a unique moment of forming of a new European community.
Bahrtalo! Good Luck!
How to hit the Jackpot? This question is not a simple one to answer for anybody. But it's even harder to solve for the two friends in this neo-realistic comedy: the "big hat" Gypsy and his Hungarian buddy - both of them Transylvanians. Many times they don't succeed, but when they do, their success doesn't last long. Yet they know something not a lot of us know: how to enjoy life. A road movie about two Transylvanian friends, Lali and Lori, who will stop at nothing to make it big. Director Róbert Lakatos follows the two men on a hilarious and pointless trip to Austria, and later when they end up in Egypt to sell a German Shepherd. The charismatic Lali negotiates on everything, even stuff that's nailed down, revealing his Eastern European bravura but also his flair. No setback will deter him, no matter how big. When the men finally have their finances in order, they quickly lose all their money on senseless knickknacks. Lakatos sets up the situations, but the men play themselves. Clad in an enormous moustache and hat, Lali doesn't take the slightest notice of the ways of the world and always manages to talk his way in. From a Viennese flea market to the foot of the pyramids, Lali might drive Lori crazy, but the friendship between the two men remains intact. Lakatos illustrates the differences between East and West in a relaxed and playful manner. His camera documents the events without interruptions, as if they were scenes from a feature film.
Goisern Goes East
Enjoy a concert tour by ship. The Austrian musician Hubert von Goisern is crossing the East of Europe on the Danube from Austria to the Black Sea. He invites excellent musicians from the local pop and jazz scene. These musical and personal encounters along the shore are reflecting the changing cultures and their powerful expressions.
Casino Transsylvanie
Róbert Lakatos's new experimental documentary is a 'moving postcard' from modern Transylvania. We see images of Moldavian people in a masquerade, Gypsy musicians, stray dogs in 'very realistic' locations: at the railway station, in front of the blocks of flats, at the market, in the busy streets of Cluj. Straightforwardly, without bathos, he author picks up the crumbs of our 'cultural inheritance' on the asphalt of the big, Transylvanian city with its prestigious past. "Sir Real shakes the unknown sieve. How can we know what will slip through?"
Moszny
The construction of large housing estates began in the 1980s. Private homes that stood in the way of the future housing complex were demolished and the people, usually against their will, were re-located; among them was the Moszny family. Only Jozsef Moszny never left. The old man still lives in the dilapidated cottage, his cows graze among the prefab buildings, and he wages a private war with bureaucrats that fine him for the devastated lawns. While by telephone he still fights for justice, he is afraid that once the reservoir by his property is filled he will lose his cattle and his home. For two years the director shot this film about a man on the margins of the modern world on location in Koloszvar, where Hungarian and Romanian are spoken. Unlike Lakatos's previous films, his native Transylvania is not portrayed as a remote folkloric corner of Europe but the front line of growing social tension. In his characteristically tense style he observes a man in the act of resisting the environment into which he is being mercilessly pulled by external forces, metaphorically represented by the remote bureaucrats. Moszny ultimately is forced to sell his cows and calves. He is part of a generation that cannot start a new life, and we know that the old man has no way of going on. The documentary sheds light on the nature of material need and powerlessness. It does not seek to justify or defend, explain or cite causes; it simply depicts a situation in which man no longer has a choice.
The Kingdom of Silence
How important could a camera be to a ten-year-old child in the Land of Silence? Because thoughts are very difficult to express using sign language. This film is about experiences and emotions.
Draculatura
The film is a 26-minute animated documentary about what the people of Dracula’s homeland know about this Hollywood created myth which became global and in which they don’t even believe? We also want to show how the Transylvanian people feel about exploring Dracula’s myth by the Dracula tourist tours. This inevitably leads to a mix of historical truths and imaginary facts which also gives us the opportunity to reflect in an ironic way on the present transition of the eastern European nations into the economic market society.
Indian Wife
The film, a docu-fiction comedy has Lali, a Transylvanian (Romania) Gabor Gipsy looking for a wife for his son Boby. As he cannot find a proper woman within his community, he decides to get one from India, the original homeland of the European Gypsies. The Gabor Gypsies of Transylvania form a very traditional community, distinguishing themselves not only through their appearance – men wearing big hats and moustaches, women wearing large, colored skirts and kerchiefs – but also through their deeply respected traditions, such as the youth getting married at a very young age (girls at 12–14, boys at 14–16), and marriages being arranged by their parents, just like in India. Lali is desperate as he cannot find an appropriate wife for his 16 year old son amongst the Gabor Gypsies. The community is very small (approx. 30.000 people) and most of the girls suitable in age for Boby (12–14 years old) come from families with status either too high or too low for Lali’s family status. And in case of the families able to present a bride of suitable age there is a massive fight going on around the amount of money the family has to pass along with the girl, over to the boy’s family. With all the fuss, Lali decides to travel to India with his son Boby and a Transylvanian Hungarian friend, Lóri, who is seriously thinking of establishing a touring agency dealing with travels to India. Lali may also sustain the idea of initiating a business in matrimonial planning between Indian and European Gypsies.
The film is a 26-minute animated documentary about what the people of Dracula’s homeland know about this Hollywood created myth which became global and in which they don’t even believe? We also want to show how the Transylvanian people feel about exploring Dracula’s myth by the Dracula tourist tours. This inevitably leads to a mix of historical truths and imaginary facts which also gives us the opportunity to reflect in an ironic way on the present transition of the eastern European nations into the economic market society.
Indian Wife
The film, a docu-fiction comedy has Lali, a Transylvanian (Romania) Gabor Gipsy looking for a wife for his son Boby. As he cannot find a proper woman within his community, he decides to get one from India, the original homeland of the European Gypsies. The Gabor Gypsies of Transylvania form a very traditional community, distinguishing themselves not only through their appearance – men wearing big hats and moustaches, women wearing large, colored skirts and kerchiefs – but also through their deeply respected traditions, such as the youth getting married at a very young age (girls at 12–14, boys at 14–16), and marriages being arranged by their parents, just like in India. Lali is desperate as he cannot find an appropriate wife for his 16 year old son amongst the Gabor Gypsies. The community is very small (approx. 30.000 people) and most of the girls suitable in age for Boby (12–14 years old) come from families with status either too high or too low for Lali’s family status. And in case of the families able to present a bride of suitable age there is a massive fight going on around the amount of money the family has to pass along with the girl, over to the boy’s family. With all the fuss, Lali decides to travel to India with his son Boby and a Transylvanian Hungarian friend, Lóri, who is seriously thinking of establishing a touring agency dealing with travels to India. Lali may also sustain the idea of initiating a business in matrimonial planning between Indian and European Gypsies.
Born in 1968, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Education: Master of fine arts / Department of Cinematography, TV Production and Photography at the Polish National Film, TV and Drama High School in Łódż, Poland. Work: Teacher of directing, screenwriting and documentary filmmaking at the Sapientia University (Cluj-Napoca/Romania) Productions, Festivals, Prizes: For his Films, made as director, produced mainly by Inforg Studio Hungary (some of them in co-production with: Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion – Austria, Intuit Pictures – Germany, in cooperation with: Channel 4, YLE Finnland, TV Denmark, TV Ontario), presented at major festivals like: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, IDFA, Leipzig International Documentary and Animated Film Festival, Visions du Réel Nyon, etc. he received prizes like: Europa Cinemas Label, Golden Dove (Short footage), The MDR (Central German Broadcasting Corporation) award for an outstanding Eastern European Documentary Film, Hungarian Film Critic’s prize for the Best Young Documentary Filmmaker, Best Short Film – at Hungarian Film Week, etc.
Argo Audiovisual Association
str. Suciu Aurel 32/42
400440 Cluj-Napoca
str. Suciu Aurel 32/42
400440 Cluj-Napoca
Inforg Studio
Kinizsi utca 11
H-1092 Budapest
Kinizsi utca 11
H-1092 Budapest
Docu Talents From the East 2006 - 2006
East Silver Caravan - 2008
Ex Oriente Babies - 2008
Bahrtalo! Good Luck! (2008): Europa Cinemas Label Award, Karlovy Vary IFF. Across the Border - Five Views from Neighbors (2004): DOK Leipzig - Golden Dove Award, MDR Award; Syracuse International Film and Video Festival - Best European Film, Best Feature Documentary. Land of Silence (2001): Hungarian Film Critics Prize; Special Jury Award at the Golden Knight IFF; Main Award at Dialektus Festival; Best Hungarian Documentary at Mediawave; Best Documentary Film at Golden Banana SFF Budapest.