Our art student, Márk Beleznai’s exam film, entitled Agapé was shortlisted after 2020 Cannes Cinefondation again, in an internationally acclaimed, top-level film festival.  

 

Márk graduated in Film and Media Studies Specialization in Visual Representation BA in 2020. This 16-minute long film is his second-year exam film, that has already been nominated and awarded with several international and Hungarian festivals and now it is in a competition at the 43th International FILM FESTIVAL in Moscow  in the Short Film category. The Moscow Film Festival is the second oldest one after the Venice Film Festival, it was first organized in 1935. The main prize of the A-category film festival is a Saint George statue.  

  

The awards and nominations of the ‘Agapé’ exam film 

  

As a consequence of the successes of the film, we have had interviews with the professors contributing to the film about the exam film making, the role of mentors, whether they had previously expected such an international success when they first saw the film.  

  

Sándor Csukás  Balázs Béla-awarded cameraman, the leader of  Motion picture (Cinematographer)  BA  and the Cinematographer Artist MA claims that „Márk is a successful young man who listens to the instructors’ suggestions, and after a short consideration he always takes as much of these pieces of advice as  can be regarded to be constructive, that can be integrated into the story and it is fine this way.”  

 

 Sándor Csukás

 

“I contributed to Agapé, the second-year exam film, with two fellow colleagues, Diana Groó  director and Károly Szalai  editor. This process included the acceptance of the first synopsis and lasted until the film was finished. We commented on the certain versions, sometimes recommended refinements or small changes. My role was probably stronger as Márk met the main character, Dorka Gryllus, at a university workshop organized by me and where he made the decision to ask her to act in one of the roles. So, I play some role in the meeting of the great actor and the director.”  

 

  Dorka Gryllus in the film ‘Agapé’.  

  

Diána Groó: “When Márk showed his exam film, I think all of us lost their breath.”  

 

Diana Groó  

How did you work together during the shooting of the exam film?  

Diana Groó: The second-year exam film task was set together with my colleague, Pacskovszky József, namely the students have to write an at least 10-minute long story and shoot a film based on it, in which a “bicycle” can be seen in any form. The students had half a year to make this film plan.  

  
In which part did you cooperate with Márk?  

D. G.: Márk worked on the development of his screenplay, and he already had an almost perfect version on the first occasion.  

Thy bicycle motif was built in the script smoothly, almost unnoticed, as the story focused on two people’s relationship.  

 

Mark had a strength in interpreting the simple, minimalist and sensitive stories, right from the beginning. During the lessons we mainly focused on the simplification of the dialogues, and refining the screenplay, Károly Szalai participated in the later development (editing).  

 

The cameraman was Máté Barna, who was also a student of mine. As he was interested in the cameraman’s work from the very beginning, the visual was created together with Márk. Máté (who is studying in Cinematographer MA at METU) was an excellent choice, because he not “only” shot the film but its visual world was adapted to the director’s concept and dramaturgy, and he followed the film plan from the beginning.   The same is true of the editor, a fellow student, Dániel Kőváry.   

 

The essence of our lessons is that not only the teachers, but the fellow students actively participate in the development of the presented film plans. Everybody shares their views.  

 

 Ágoston Henrik Kenéz in the ‘Agapé’ exam film  

  
In case of exam tasks, are students given rein or there is a set of formal and content requirements?  

D. G.: In our major the main emphasis is on documentary film making in the first year, on the fictional story telling in the second.  Students are given tasks based on given criteria, but there are mid-term and end-term exam tasks as well. As this particular task was regarded as an end-of-term exam film, the restriction referred to the “bicycle” motif and the ten-minute length.  

 

In our Film And Media Studies Specialization (from autumn the new name will be Filmmaking specialization), there is a headmaster, the curriculum focuses on directing, scriptwriting, shooting and editing practices. In one year usually there are two groups, and the headmasters along with the director, cameraman and editor instructors (in case of Márk: Groó/Pacskovszky J. - Sándor Csukás - Károly Szalai) develop and supervise the tasks handed out as end-of-year exam task, everybody in their own specialist field, and at the exam the whole year participates, so that the students can see each other’s work.  The teams can also cooperate, for example Márk could recruit an extraordinarily good team.  

  
When you first saw the final version, did you believe that a success story can be created from this?  

D. G.: When Márk showed his exam film, I think all of us lost their breath. Not because we were not aware of Márk’s exceptional talent and skills but because Agapé was far better than a usual second-year exam film’s quality and level. At that time we did not know that it would develop into a success story, but we were under the impression that an exceptionally good and outstanding film had been created and that Márk is a mature director. When we heard that it was shortlisted in Cannes, we were really proud, not to mention the invitation to Moscow.  

 

 Dorka Gryllus and Ágoston Henrik Kenéz in the ‘Agapé’ exam film  

  
What do you think makes a good mentor in the field of motion picture?  Which part of cooperation with students do you enjoy most?    

D. G.: I believe honesty is the most important thing, and also that the mentor shouldn’t force their own or an expected idea on the student. Of course it is important to pass on the technical knowledge, but the essence of film making is story telling based on an intuitive, instinctive and individual attitude. The way I see it, a mentor-student relationship works if the mentor shares the lessons learnt from their own experience with the student, if they encourage them to master independent, creative and brave thinking and also if they take the student’s individuality and interest into account. For me, the biggest experience is when the basis of the cooperation is openness, the unconditional trust and partnership - but it does not exclude constructive criticism. I am under the impression that during the three years we managed to implement this dialogue with Márk and his team in such an environment. Any new success and recognition of the film and Márk makes us really proud.  

 

Károly Szalai - “In my view it is a significant criterion that we help our students fulfil their potential.”  

 

Károly Szalai   

 

How did you work together during the shooting of the exam film?  

Károly Szalai: We had a lesson with Márk’s team every week, but if it was necessary or there was demand for it, we had a consultation about the exam film any time.  

The development of the exam films is part of the curriculum from film ideas to making a copy, therefore we were already discussing issues of the dramaturgy, the qualities of the characters and the plot.  But the most intensive phase was during editing and post-production.  

 

In case of exam tasks, are students given rein?  

K.SZ.: Usually there is a framework that sets for example the length the given exam film or helps concentrate on the film language and style elements that were in focus during that semester or perhaps gives a theme.  

 

What do you think makes a good mentor in the field of motion picture?  

K.SZ.: In my view it is a significant criterion that we help our students fulfil their potential, find their own style. At the same time they can master and practise those professional tricks that help them create such films that have that impact on the viewers and provide that film experience they had wanted to reach.  

 

Which part of cooperation with students do you enjoy most?  

K.SZ.: I also learn a lot from students, their freshness inspires me. It is a great feeling when we help them find their own voice to be able to create important, high-quality films. But what I enjoy most is when we, along with the students, create something together in an interactive way, we analyse a film or discuss something based on professional criteria.  

 

When you first saw the final version, did you believe that even a success story can be created from this?  

K.SZ.: We actually saw several versions, and already its fledgeling version showed that it would be a unique, forceful piece of art. On the other hand it is always a question how far a strong film can get. Luck is also a factor; it has to be at a good place at a good time. It is such a great pleasure that all the conditions were guaranteed in this case and I hope Márk and his fellow students will be able to make their upcoming films under even more favourable conditions.  

  

We congratulate to every contributor on this new success! 

  

2021. 04. 21.