Orphan – László Nemes Jeles Set to Begin Filming His Third Feature Film in June

This summer marks the commencement of filming for “Árva” (Orphan), the third feature film by Oscar-winning director László Nemes Jeles, known for his critically acclaimed “Son of Saul”. According to Deadline, shooting will start in June around Budapest.

The international distribution rights for “Árva” have been acquired by two prominent companies, French-based Charades and Polish-based New Europe Film Sales. This partnership, a first-time collaboration for these firms, will officially launch their sales efforts at the upcoming Cannes Film Market.

Set in the spring of 1957, “Árva” unfolds in Budapest, a city still recovering from the upheavals of 1956. The narrative centers around Andor, a 12-year-old boy raised by his single mother with the hope that his father, who disappeared during the war, will one day return. The plot thickens when a man claiming to be Andor‘s father appears, but the boy refuses to recognize this stranger as his father, causing tensions at home and prompting Andor to take drastic measures to protect his family from the intruding figure.

The screenplay of “Árva” is co-written by László Nemes Jeles and Clara Royer, with Ildikó Kemény and Ferenc Szále as producers. The film features Mátyás Erdély as cinematographer, Andrea Flesch as costume designer, Tamás Zányi as sound engineer, Péter Politzer as editor, and Éva Zabezsinszkij as casting director. The production is supported by the National Film Institute, the British Film Institute (BFI), and involves collaboration with international partners such as Pioneer Pictures, Good Chaos (UK), Agat Films (France), and Pallas Film (Germany).