Renátó Olasz: I truly missed the process of creation that I used in my youth

With his debut film Stars of Little Importance, director Renátó Olasz turns his camera to a brother and sister returning to their small hometown, where nothing is as it once was.

 

How does it feel to have a world premiere of your debut film at Sarajevo Film Festival?

I can hardly believe it! It’s amazing to be a part of this! Uplifting and wonderful. Yeah, I just can’t believe it.

 

With your background in acting, when did the idea of directing start to appeal to you?

At the very beginning. I used to be at a high school that included drama classes. There were several theatrical plays produced, in which I participated as a performer and… so called director. It was obvious to me that I wanted to be a director, but I liked experiencing both sides. We were quite young and full of passion for expressing ourselves through theatrical activities. But at the time, I was picturing myself as a theatrical director. I believe I was a little scared of films at the time. And there's a unique fact about this moment in my life: Andrea Waskovics, who plays my sister in the film, was a classmate of mine in high school. So we began our artistic path at the same time. Now we're best friends.

 

Before I finished my University in directing, I got my first degree in acting and I am currently working as an actor. However, this was not the primary cause. The film is about a 'return home’ feeling.  And in that case, the “home” in the film was actually my hometown. It was a really intimate situation.  I wanted to make a movie that focused on the performers' personalities. I asked them to show their vulnerabilities to the camera, and because I was also part of them, I helped them. On the other hand, from inside, I was able to manage the rhythm of the scenes.  Being on both sides made the process feel quite natural. I believe that the fact that my DOP and I are friends and that I have complete trust in him also helps.

 

 

My goal was to set up a very personal atmosphere in which we could all be ourselves and not worry about meeting expectations. Just like in my youth, when we were amateur theatre-maker youngsters.

We had numerous preparatory conversations with the actors, dramaturge, and DOP. Together with the others, we identified key themes of interest. I took numerous notes and created some scenes, or rather scene concepts. And at one point, we went to the actual pub, which would be the location later, to see what the place might offer us. Everyone involved found the procedure to be very natural and creative. And when we arrived to capture the scenes, everyone knew exactly what we wanted to convey through the actual action. This technique allows everyone to feel very intimate and personal about the film, as well as act very naturally in front of the cameras. We were all equal partners. It's a sort of democratic approach.

In terms of acting, I chose a unique method that I had previously learnt, known as “alternative reality”. There are no traditional characters, and everyone plays themselves. Consider how your life would be if, for example, you never left your hometown, had a different career, or had a wife or husband...  Just how the children play while they are pirates. So it's you, but not really you. It gives you immense freedom to be yourself in an alternate universe. And it can provide an intimate approach.

 

Why did you choose to improvise on the set instead of working with a traditional script, and what was that process like?

I must admit that I am not the type of director who wants to create a classic narrative, story-focused film. I'm just not interested. Today's funding system requires a synopsis and script, making it challenging to work without them. But in our case, when we shot without a budget, I realised, OK, if we don't have money, if we do not have anything, why do we need a script? Why do we want to follow rules? We were able to function in a unique method due to the lack of traditional funding and censorship requirements.

Writing, on the other hand, has always given me many boundaries. And another experience occurred during that time in my life: I realised that what I truly missed was the process of creation that I used in my youth. I mean with a naive viewpoint and innocent eyes. The improvisation is really helpful in expressing what I truly want to show: the unrepeatable moments of existence and being, how we just exist. There are things that are boring on paper but are extremely emotional and full of meaning on screen. Personality is the most important to me. A person's facial expression can reveal their worries, wants, and vulnerabilities.

 

Was filming in your hometown emotionally difficult or maybe sort of therapeutic?

A little of both, but overall, it felt liberated to me. I thought it would be tough at first, but it quickly became clear that it was really natural. I grew up in that area and was familiar with everything there... It was like a gigantic playground.

 

 

He is my... Master! And was my mentor throughout the entire procedure. We discussed everything, and he gave me a lot of advice. Mostly while editing. What I truly learnt from him is that “where I am in the film” is all that matters. If something is honest, it works; if something is fake, the viewer will detect it.