Interview: From Ashes to Iron to Killing Hitler – How a Hungarian Story Brought Director Danny A. Abeckaser to Budapest

Director Danny A. Abeckaser has once again chosen Budapest as a filming location, this time for his latest film, Killing Hitler, featuring Dylan Douglas, son of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. His first Hungarian production, Ashes to Iron, brought him here naturally earlier this year: based on Judy Egett Laufer’s book Choices, the film follows a family forced to flee Hungary after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. But it was Budapest itself—its versatile locations, production infrastructure and skilled film professionals—that convinced Abeckaser to return. Just a week after wrapping Killing Hitler, Budapest Reporter spoke with the director about filming in Hungary and his plans to return for a third production, Lucky. Laufer also shared her personal connection to the country where she was born.

Budapest Reporter: Ashes to Iron is deeply rooted in Hungarian history, but you initially considered both Prague and Budapest for the production. What ultimately convinced you that Budapest was the right place to bring this story to the screen?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Yes, Ashes to Iron was going to be shot either in Prague or Budapest. The producers wanted to see which city would work better, so I flew to Budapest and spent three days scouting locations. I didn’t like Prague as much—I liked Budapest much better. Also the production company based in Budapest, KMH, was fantastic. Later, when I came back for Killing Hitler, I already knew I wanted to shoot in Budapest again. Half of the movie takes place in New York in the 1930s and the other half in Berlin, and Budapest was perfect. We found parts of the city that look very similar to Berlin and used the New York street backlot for the New York scenes. We were able to shoot the entire film in Budapest.

Budapest Reporter: Ashes to Iron is based on a book by Judy Egett Laufer (J. E. Laufer), a Hungarian refugee who fled the country with her parents as a baby at the time of the 1956 Revolution and later wrote her family’s story. How did you discover the book and connect with her?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Judy had seen one of my Holocaust films and loved it. Someone introduced us because she really wanted me to make a film based on her story. At first, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to go back into the whole world of the Holocaust, the flashbacks and 1956. But once I met her and read her book, Choices, which became an award winner, I decided to make it. That’s how we got connected.

Budapest Reporter: Ashes to Iron was mostly filmed on real locations, while Killing Hitler also uses studio sets. Where did you shoot the film?

Danny A. Abeckaser: We shot the Killing Hitler at Korda Studios in Etyek, Hungary. I can tell you one thing—it was even better than the American studios! I shot Mob Town at Paramount in New York, and this studio was even bigger than that.

Budapest Reporter: How much of the crew was Hungarian?

Danny A. Abeckaser: About 95 percent—actually, no, 98 percent. We only had one or two people from outside. Ashes to Iron also featured many Hungarian cast members and a wonderful Hungarian crew.

Budapest Reporter: Budapest has become a major destination for Hollywood productions. Was it a smooth experience shooting here?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Absolutely. After scouting Budapest for the first time and then shooting Ashes to Iron there, I knew I wanted to come back. The crews are excellent, the studios are outstanding, and we found everything we needed. It made shooting much easier.

Budapest Reporter: Your recent films seem to return to two worlds: crime stories like Mob Cops and The Perfect Gamble, and films connected to Jewish history and heritage, like 12 Hours in September, Ashes to Iron and Killing Hitler. Is that a conscious pattern?

Danny A. Abeckaser: I don’t actually see Killing Hitler as a Jewish story. To me, it’s a gangster story. It’s about some of the biggest gangsters of the 1930s. Some happened to be Jewish, others were Italian, and together they decided they wanted to kill Hitler. They started planning assassinations and built this incredible underground operation. So I see it as much closer to Mob Cops and The Perfect Gamble. What interests me is what happens behind the scenes—the hidden stories people don’t know. Ashes to Iron is a thrilling escape story highlighting human resilience and family love.

Budapest Reporter: You work with a consistent creative team, including Hollywood film composer and Television Academy member Lionel Cohen and screenwriter Kosta Kondilopoulos. How did those collaborations begin?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Lionel and I have known each other since we were kids, and I started working with him on the first movie I directed. He introduced me to Kosta, who has now written my last six or seven films. Look, if someone does a great job and I love working with them, I want to keep working with them. It’s the same with my writer, my composer and my actors. I use many of the same actors most of the time, including David Arquette. Also I’m not the first director who does this. Scorsese, Tarantino—a lot of directors do it. When you’re making a film, you want people around you that you trust. It creates a warm feeling on set.

Budapest Reporter: In Killing Hitler, you cast Dylan Douglas in his first major role. How did you discover him?

Danny A. Abeckaser: When you’re making an independent movie, it’s extremely important to have recognizable names that help sell the film. At the same time, you’re always looking for the right actor. We found Dylan through my casting director. He suggested him because he’s the son of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, but more importantly, he looked exactly how David, his character in the film, needed to look. My casting director sent me Dylan’s reel, he auditioned, and I thought he was terrific. He’s a great actor.

Budapest Reporter: What was it like working with Dylan?

Danny A. Abeckaser: It was a pleasure. He was very respectful, prepared and extremely professional. He knew all his lines, came ready every day and really embraced the character.

Budapest Reporter: You also appear in your own films. If you had to choose between acting and directing, which would it be?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Directing, without a doubt. On Ashes to Iron, I didn’t want to act in it, but the producers wanted me to because they felt my name would help sell the movie. So I did it for them. With Killing Hitler, it was different. I had always dreamed of playing Lansky, so I took the opportunity to do it.

Budapest Reporter: Independent films are notoriously difficult to finance. How do you make it work?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Every movie is a challenge when it comes to raising money. But I’m fortunate to have people around me who support me, believe in me and back what I do. It’s a tremendous amount of work, but people trust me. They know the kind of films I make and that I always try to create the best possible movie with whatever budget I have, spending as little as possible while still delivering quality.

Budapest Reporter: The Israeli Ambassador to Hungary visited the set, and I heard you worked closely with Hungarian filmmakers. Did you have Hungarian producers on the project?

Danny A. Abeckaser: I worked with Hungarian line producers who handled the production on the ground in Budapest. Judy—who is a Hungarian citizen—and her family were the first executive producers and major investors.

Budapest Reporter: You had a very interesting journey to becoming a filmmaker. Before directing, you were deeply involved in the New York nightlife scene and ran nightclubs. How did you make the transition from nightlife to film?

Danny A. Abeckaser: I was very involved in the nightlife business in America—and even internationally. Then, about ten years later, I started my production company. When I was a kid, I always wanted to be an actor. Around 35 or 36, I decided I didn’t want to be in the nightlife business anymore. I made a short film, then raised the money for my first feature, Holy Rollers. We shot it in 2009, it went to Sundance, and for a while I was doing both businesses. Then, in 2016, I sold everything and focused entirely on filmmaking.

Budapest Reporter: Artificial intelligence is one of Hollywood’s biggest topics today. What’s your opinion on AI?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Nothing. I hate it. I refuse to use it.

Budapest Reporter: What’s next? Are you planning to return to Budapest?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Yes. My next project is called Lucky. It’s about one of the characters from Killing Hitler — Charles “Lucky” Luciano. Lorenzo Antonucci will play the lead, and about 95 percent of the film will be shot in Budapest.

Budapest Reporter: When will production begin?

Danny A. Abeckaser: We’re planning to start shooting in January 2027.

Budapest Reporter:  So does it mean we will see you back in Budapest next year?

Danny A. Abeckaser: Actually, most likely much sooner. The producers of Ashes to Iron are planning to hold the world premiere in Budapest on October 23, marking the anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution—so most likely, we’ll be back much sooner than January. We’re also working on a premiere in Berlin, but it’s very important to us that the film’s very first premiere takes place in Budapest. This is a Hungarian story, and we want to bring it home first—to pay tribute to the people of Hungary and to bow our heads in remembrance of the heroes and survivors of 1956.

We also reached Judy Egett Laufer in Arizona, whose book Choices and family history inspired Ashes to Iron. Laufer was born in Hungary but left the country with her parents when she was only a year and a half old, growing up in Montreal, Canada. Despite spending most of her life in North America, she told Budapest Reporter that Hungary has never felt entirely foreign to her:

“Growing up, my connection to Hungary was a bit of a mystery. I knew I was born there, and since my parents spoke the language, I became quite fluent.

As time went on, I developed a growing interest in this country I was born into. The idea of having a language that most people didn’t understand was incredibly appealing. When the Olympics were held in Montreal in 1976, I landed a job as a Hungarian translator because I had three languages: English, French and Hungarian. I felt truly special and unique.

It was always a delight when people asked where I was from, and I’d say Hungary—it was a nice surprise to them, as no one would have guessed.

We don’t have any family still living there. I’ve been back a few times, including when I was sixteen with my mom and we visited relatives. I also went back while researching the book and spent almost a month on set for the movie.

I always feel a warm, comforting feeling when I return. Since I know the language, it never feels like a foreign country. I’m always happy to travel back.”

All photographs accompanying this interview are courtesy of photographer Anna Vera Lengyel, whose work can be found at annaveraphoto.com and on Instagram at @annaveraphoto.