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Kristóf Deák was the first Hungarian filmmaker to win an Oscar for a live-action short film. After the short film, he is now directing, a feature-length film.
“The Grandchild” (” Az Unoka”) is a coming-of-age story in the form of a detective thriller, with a touch of black comedy. The protagonist of this revenge story set in the present day is a mild-mannered, well-behaved literary boy, Rudi (Gergő Blahó). After his beloved grandfather (Tamás Jordán) falls victim to a soulless deception, he decides to seek justice for himself. To do so, he needs ingenuity, finesse, and self-confidence – and a team of allies.
“It’s a typical Hungarian crime,” Tamás S. Zákonyi told Filmhu during filming about the scam, known as ‘grandchildification’, which is the basis of Kristóf Deák’s first feature film: organized fraudsters call up elderly people in the middle of the night and then pretend to be their troubled child, grandchild or friend, and ask for money.
“Boldly, it’s not based on a genre, we haven’t said it’s purely a thriller, crime thriller, black comedy, or drama,” Zákonyi said when asked why he finds the film exciting.
Kristóf Deák was also enthusiastic during the shoot. The story starts with a big injustice, the anger and the desire for revenge is what drives the protagonist, „I think it’s quite relatable for most of us. It would be nice if the viewer could go with the story along the gradually darkening path from which there is less and less way back.” The question he would like to ask viewers with” “The Grandson is”: “If revenge is meaningless, what is there to make sense of instead?”
In almost all cases, the director chose the actors based on “the twinkle in their eye”, Tamás Jordán (the grandfather) because he is a very clever, kind and mischievous grandfather character with a mischievous look in his eye.
He has a zest for life and can be vulnerable.” Gergely Blahó (the grandson) also owes the role to his sensitive gaze and the fact that “he radiates gentleness and strength at the same time.” Gábor Jászberényi, chosen as the impostor, on the other hand, “has a strong, terrifyingly cold gaze, but at the same time a kind, velvety voice”.
“The Grandchild” , made with the support of the NFI, was shot until the end of November 2020. The Uncle was directed and written by Kristóf Deák, produced by Tamás S. Zákonyi, and cinematographed by Róbert Maly. In addition to Gergely Blahó, Tamás Jordán and Gábor Jászberényi, the film will also feature Judit Pogány, Judit Bárdos, Laura Döbrösi, János Papp, Ildikó Hámori and Teri Tordai. “The Grandchild” is scheduled to be released in autumn 2021.
It’s safe to say that everyone is waiting on pins and needles for the Oscar-winning director’s next big thing.
