Török Zoltan

Flatland Flyers
Three Hungarian paragliders soar in the tropical Brazilian sky and struggle with strong thermal and roaring winds. They are not fanatics but ordinary family men, coming from the central European plains. They want to set a new world record using only standard equipment like no one else before them. But the price for the adventure is almost too high...

My Reindeer
Two families, alone in the forests of the wild and remote Central Siberian plateau. One family is human and one is wolf. „My Reindeer“ is an epic yet intimate and moving story of a little child and grandfather, a wolf cub and its mother - and their struggle to survive in a vast and unknown land. One million reindeer… Ten thousand wolves… Two families… A true story of the last family of forest reindeer nomads on the planet. The grandpa is desperate for his grandchildren to keep the nomadic tradition alive. He must pass on his knowledge and passion while he can, but with the young boy already away at school, his hopes and dreams rest on the little shoulders of his chosen child - his five-year-old granddaughter, little Masha. The future is in her hands.

The Polar Bear Brigade
How do you feel when you have to share your small village space with 200 polar bears? With an equal number of inhabitants in a Chukchi settlement, in the Russian Far East, the villagers have been forced to come to terms with the feeling.The “Polar Bear Brigade” is a positive story that shows how a local society responds to the challenge of global warming. How to share a village with 200 polar bears…? The equal number of inhabitants of Chukotka’s Vankarem settlement, in the Russian Far East is already quite familiar with the feeling… The ancient village of Vankarem lies on the fall migration route of these mighty white predators, but that was not a problem for anyone until recent years. But nowadays due to the global warming there is no ice till December on which they could continue their wandering to the North! So they are stuck…. in the village. Just like the 25000(!) walruses outside of Vankarem. No one knows exactly why, but these animals also started to gather on a nearby rockery in an unbelievable number in the autumns. The surreal gray mass and the biggest land predator’s rally aroused the local native Chukchi community. Bears, large males and females with babies, pass Vankarem every night in October and November - sometimes a dozen of them are hanging around at the same time. By midday they move to the coast, but remain within sight. So villagers have to accompany their children on their way to school and kindergarten. However, despite all precautions parents caught their children trying to approach the bears. (Unfortunately tragic accidents already occurred last winter). But surprisingly the community is not against the bears! Even they want their land to be protected. The Chukchis, these native people revived their traditions and live very close to wildlife and maintaining a hunting lifestyle mainly by traditional methods and tools. There is a taming rich arctic and marine wildlife in the background with seals, whales etc. all affected by this complex story. The Chukchi don’t want to eliminate the bears (that is illegal anyhow) but solve out the problem with the help of their old wise men and dedicated Russian biologists. So, with the help of WWF, they created a special team, called “Polar Bear Brigade” who is doing an exciting and sometimes very strange work to prevent both people from wildlife… and wildlife from people. This is a positive story that shows how a local society responds to the challenge of global warming.

Zoltan Török was born in Budapest in 1972. He is an internationally awarded independent documentary producer, director and cameraman, based in Hungary and Sweden. Between 1999-2004 he has worked on a number of international productions for Scandinature Films, besides work for other production companies and broadcasters in Europe and worldwide. During 2003 he was selected as one of the participants of the prestigious Discovery Campus Masterschool for directors and producers. Runs FILM 42 production company. Filmography (selected): Parting Lands (2003-2005, director, cinematographer, on-location producer, for WDR, ARTE), Icehotel (2004, for Discovery Channel, US and International, Associate director, cameraman), Flatland Flyers (2004-2005), Realm of the Reindeer (2003, cinematographer and director of re-enactments, for Discovery US and ZDF Germany), Cyanide Blues (2000-2001, director, cameraman, writer, producer, for the Swedish TV4 commercial channel, multiple festival awards in Hungary, USA, Sweden, Greece), Girls in Jeopardy (2001, Swedish TV4), Of Moose and Men (2002, cameraman, Scandinature Films for WDR).

Zoltan Török was born in Budapest in 1972. He is an internationally awarded independent documentary producer, director and cameraman, based in Hungary and Sweden. Between 1999-2004 he has worked on a number of international productions for Scandinature Films, besides work for other production companies and broadcasters in Europe and worldwide. During 2003 he was selected as one of the participants of the prestigious Discovery Campus Masterschool for directors and producers. His company called FILM 42 is under establishing. (selected) Parting Lands (2003-2005) Natural history film connected to the Icelandic “saga” tales. Director, cinematographer, on-location producer. For WDR, ARTE. Icehotel (2004) The story of building an extraordinary construction made out of ice. For Discovery Channel US and International. Associate director, cameraman. Flatland Flyers (2004-2005) How to set up a new paragliding world record by watching the science of the big birds and using only serial equipment? Filmed in Brazil. Parting Lands (2003-2005) Director, cinematographer, on-location producer. For WDR and ARTE. (Crystal Mount Prize, IX. Vertical International Film Festival, Moscow, 2006 + finalist and nominated at nine other film festivals so far) Icehotel (2004) For Discovery Channel US and International. Associate director, cameraman. (Outstanding rating on premier night in the US). Flatland Flyers (2004-2005) Director, cameraman, producer. An independent production, it was broadcast in Central Europe. (Best Adventure Film – Hungarian Nature Film Festival, Pusztaszer, 2006 + finalist at eight other film festivals so far from Montreal to Poprad). Realm of the reindeer (2003) Cinematographer and director of re-enactments. For Discovery US and ZDF Germany. Cyanide Blues (2000-2001) Director, cameraman, writer, producer. For the Swedish TV4 commercial channel. Also broadcasted in several European countries like France, Spain, Hungary etc. (Ramsar Award: Jury’s Special Mention, Ecofilms, International Film Festival, Rhodos, Greece, 2006 Prize of the National Radio and Television Board (ORTT) International Scientific Film Festival Szolnok, Hungary, 2003 Award for the Best Presentation of an Environmental Issue, International Wildlife Film Festival, Montana, USA, 2002 Newcomer Award and National Geographic Environmental Award nomination, Wildlife Europe Festival Sundsvall, Sweden, 2001) Girls in Jeopardy (2001) Swedish TV4. Cameraman. Director, cameraman, producer. And independent production for European market. It is going to be broadcasted this summer in Central Europe. Realm of the reindeer (2003) A Christmas special about the reindeer and its relation to humans all over the world. Cinematographer and director of re-enactments. For Discovery US and ZDF Germany. Of Moose and Men (2002) A documentary about the relationship between man and moose in Scandinavia. Cameraman. Produced by Scandinature Films for WDR. 2000-2001 Cyanide Blues A 28’ documentary for Swedish TV4. The story of a polluted river which refused to die. Director, cameraman, writer, producer. Also broadcasted in several European countries like France, Spain, Hungary etc. 2001: Girls in Jeopardy A 46’ documentary for Swedish TV4. Dramatic story about two teenager sisters who are living at the centre of women trafficking, Moldavia. Cameraman.