Kovacs, Zsigmond Will Receive Inaugural Legend

[Tim Tyler]

Laszlo Kovacs, ASC and Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC,

along with Gyorgy Illes, HSC and Janos Toth are the first recipients of The

Legend Award from the Hungarian Society of Cinematographers (HSC). The Legend

Award was created to honor cinematographers whose lives and notable bodies of

work are an inspiration to filmmakers. The awards will be presented during the

fifth annual Golden Eye National Festival of Cinematography Art on October 29

in Budapest, Hungary.

 

Illes is a prominent Hungarian cinematographer who mentored Kovacs and

Zsigmond when they were students at the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the two cinematographers' perilous

escape from their native land after the Russian army crushed a popular

uprising against the communist regime in November 1956. Kovacs and Zsigmond

had documented the revolt and its brutal suppression on 35 mm film. Just to

put that into proper perspective, Russian soldiers were shooting people on the

spot if they were caught on the street with cameras.

 

Illes advised Zsigmond and Kovacs it would be prudent for them to leave the

country, because the Russians were arresting students who were accused of

participating in the revolt. They carried some 10,000 feet of their film on a

long and dangerous trek through open fields and subsequently across the border

into Austria. Some of their film ultimately aired on CBS-TV.

 

In March 1957, Zsigmond and Kovacs migrated to the United States as political

refugees. Despite the heavy odds against them, they persisted and ultimately

succeeded.

 

Kovacs has compiled some 70 credits, including such classics as EASY RIDER,

FIVE EASY PIECES, THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS, SHAMPOO, PAPER MOON, NEW YORK,

NEW YORK, GHOSTBUSTERS, MASK, RADIO FLYER, MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING and MISS

CONGENIALITY.

 

Zsigmond has earned some 70 credits. He received an Oscar® for CLOSE

ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND and other nominations for THE DEER HUNTER, which

won a BAFTA Award, and THE RIVER. Zsigmond also won an Emmy award for his

telefilm STALIN and another nomination for THE MISTS OF AVALON. His other

credits include such classics as THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS, THE GHOST AND THE

DARKNESS, LIFE AS A HOUSE, MCCABE & MRS. MILLER, DELIVERANCE, THE LONG

GOODBYE, THE ROSE, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK and MAVERICK. His upcoming film,

THE BLACK DAHLIA, is in postproduction and slated for release in early 2006.

Both cinematographers have previously received Lifetime Achievement Awards

from their peers in the American Society of Cinematographers and from the

CamerImage International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography.

 

Zsigmond stayed in touch with Illes and his former classmates by writing them

letters during the 1960s. When Illes was nominated for an Oscar in the foreign

film category during the early 1970s, Zsigmond met him at the airport in Los

Angeles.

 

"Gyorgy asked me when I was coming home to visit the school," Zsigmond

recalls. "After that, I began making regular visits and advised the students."

When Zsigmond received an Oscar for CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, he

thanked Illes and other mentors at the Budapest school. He subsequently helped

to organize a bi-annual summer workshop for students from around the world at

the school in Budapest. He and Kovacs are regular participants.

 

"Gyorgy Illes is a great filmmaker who was like another father to me," Kovacs

says. "I once asked how we could ever repay him for his many kindnesses, and

he said I should help young filmmakers whenever I had the opportunity. I have

tried my best to do that. It is a tremendous honor for me to receive this

award in his presence."

 

The HSC is the primary organizer of the Golden Eye Festival, which is

designed to recognize artistic achievements by cinematographers. There will be

17 film categories for HSC members to judge.

For more info, visit www.filmmakersbg.org or www.hscmot.hu.