French Premiere Magazine

April 1999

(Translated from French by Gabrielle K.)
The sun shines, shines, shines
Istvan Szabo is filming "A Taste of Sunshine", his sixth feature length film, with Ralph Fiennes.

We felt like being somewhere in Montmartre, but in fact we were in Budapest, in the part called the "Fishermen's Bastion", located on top of the town. That's where ATOS is being shot, written and produced by the Hungarian Istvan Szabo. One of those producers whose name you never know how to spell, but the best of the 7th Hungarian art, rewarded in Cannes in '81 for Mephisto and in '85 for Colonel Redl, Szabo has assembled an international cast (Ralph Fiennes, Molly Parker, Rachel Weisz, William Hurt) to film this ambitious saga, initially intended for German television. Covering 100 years of Central European history, it follows 3 generations in a Hungarian Jewish family, starting from the fall of the Hapsburgs in 1918, going over the Nazi occupation and ending with the people's uprising in 1956.

For Ralph Fiennes this film allows him to assuage a fantasy, which is to play three roles at one time: Ignatz, a lawyer, Adam, his son, a sword champion, and Ivan his grand-son, a police officer. "It is of course an incredible challenge for an actor," says Ralph Fiennes. "But Szabo created Colonel Redl, my favourite film..."Ę

Today, 9th of October, the 67th shooting day, we are only half way through this impressive production. When we arrived on the set, we were stunned by the profound silence reigning there. Was it serenity or tension? Only the walkie-talkies disturbed the silence, with their Anglo-Hungarian talking. Even Szabo was murmuring in a low voice, while giving his faithful chief-operator Laszlo Koltai instructions. When Fiennes at last appears on the set, we have the impression of seing the Nazi commander of Schindler's List: piercing look, stiff bearing... But no, he's scared: it's Adam Sors, the sportsman, and we are in 1925. Suddenly the actor's concentration is perturbed by 2 excited young girls, carrying a bottle of champagne to bid farewell to one of the actors. Fiennes takes a glass, one one can feel he is nervous, impatient to go on with the scene. It's only when the camera starts filming that we discover the almost paternal relationship, which unites the actor and the director.

Both are determined and meticulous. "Only very few directors understand the actors as he does," tells Fiennes. "I would never have accepted such a complex script without his support. The public will see me in 3 very different parts, but to me, it's as if I described a one and unique journey, and this journey is the most exalting part for an actor. " In spite of the denial of Szabo, as little talkative as always, it is rumoured that the film will be ready for Cannes 19.