Imre Mazlo
Director/Writer/Producer of Ten out of Ten
What is the story behind your film?
This is a 30 minute story of the last First Secretary of the Hungarian People's Republic. He is not a person driven by some lofty interest but by a far worse and most evil force. Money, greed for power, untouchability, stupidity and materialism. I believe there are people around having always respected all the ten commandments without failure in their lives, but I have never ever met one like that. We are not without sins, but we must strive for the good. My film demonstrates how easy it is to make mistakes one after the other, and even in one morning break all the fundamentals that make a person human.
What should people take away, gain, realize after watching your film?
In one thing everyone agrees. Namely, that I succeeded to show certain problems (still existing today ) in the past through eternal laws. All this while observing a grotesque figure. I had a similar goal.
What creation style did you use in the production of your project? What cameraman elements did you use?
As we had only 1500USD as a budget for making this film, this gave me serious burdens in terms of selecting my own style. WE had a lot of obstacles which didn't let us choose between cameras or objectives. But I am happy that we made it and even under these strict circumstances we could create something unique.
How did you select the actors for your project?
There were certain human traits that I thought a character like Peter should play. A younger actor could not have played this so well. It was important to bring the style features that we identify with, e.g. the dictators. He was very easy to work with. At every moment he delivered what I asked of him.
Why do you think your film should appeal to distributors?
Because it conveys something that many people have already tried to "shove" down people's throats - with more or less success - but perhaps in this form the story is even more original and contemporary. In the past, opening up a set of problems that still exists now in the light of the universal commandments was a suitable challenge and I feel that it achieved the expected result.I would not like it to be a film just for the target group, because we have revealed something valid for all of us in it. It tells the same thing to the elderly and parents that it is not too late to change, but also to the children and young people that it is their time. Being good is sexy!
At which festival has your film been screened?
To be honest, we have won in so many places that it would be difficult to list them all. We have dozens of wins for Best Short Film or Best Director.
How did your acquaintances react when they first saw the film?
Interestingly, after my two children, this was the first thing that everyone agreed on. „Well done Imi!" It was possible to open up certain problems (that still exist) in the past through perpetual laws. All this while observing a grotesque figure. I had a similar goal.
If you could change something in your film, what would it be?
I had a longer version for this film, with more actor. That would have better illustrated the Communist Hungary's politicians' soul and way of thinking. But due to our small budget, we had to shorten the film.
Which movies are your favorites and why?
Difficult question, there are many... but perhaps P.G.: The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, then Rosencranz and Guildenstern are Dead, Adrian Lyne: Jacob's Ladder, Stanley Kubrick: Pahts of Glory: Paths of Glory.
What topics do you like to address in your stories?
I would like to open the eyes of many people towards those who, because of some idea or some selfish reasons devote their possible salvation for the sake of a better eartlhly life. I think there is a kind of self sacrifice arising from human ignorance combined with some false sense of untouchability, thereby distorting the judgement of strong, upright people. I am convinced that holy people do not sacrifice the salvation of their souls, they are good because they obey God's rules and laws, since they want to get to heaven. We can say they are driven by self interest. On the contrary, those who, such as criminals and politicians, throw away the eternal orders in the hope of earthly prosperity. Here, too, we can distinguish between two types of criminals and politicians. The good criminal, so to speak, breaks God's commandments in order to help those in need, like some kind of Robin Hood. He takes it from the rich and gives it to the poor, knowing that he will most likely not go to heaven because of it. Despite everything, he accepts the punishment after life on earth. The evilish one only looks at the well-being of himself and his immediate environment. A good politician chooses the wrong path because he has sworn to protect his state and its people. Therefore, if necessary, he starts a war, lies, even kills. But my main character in my short film is the last General Secretary of the former Hungarian People's Republic, who isn't led by any supreme interests but by a much worse and more evil force: the money, the greed of power, the human stupidity and materialism. I believe, that there are some people, who have been keeping all the 10 commandments of God in their whole life but I've never met one of them. My film also tries to show, how simply people can make mistakes again and again, and therefore how easily they can break even in a morning all of the fundamentals, wich mostly define the human-being.
What is your motivation in making films?
It was a teenage dream. Acting never particularly interested me. It was the background work that got me. Then I thought about it once in the USA and enrolled in advertising and marketing, where I also studied filmmaking. I started there at the amateur level. Unfortunately, I have not been an artist in filmmaking since then, but I have become a good industrialist.
Which contemporary filmmakers motivate you the most?
I don't have a real film role model. There are directors and writers who have influenced me to some extent when I was young. Such is Peter Greenway, who is one of the greatest for me, along with Stanley Kubrick.
What projects do you plan to shoot in the future?
I would like to bring a true story set in the 1950s to the screen. Full of unimaginable action, an explanation that only life can produce.
What is the story behind your film?
This is a 30 minute story of the last First Secretary of the Hungarian People's Republic. He is not a person driven by some lofty interest but by a far worse and most evil force. Money, greed for power, untouchability, stupidity and materialism. I believe there are people around having always respected all the ten commandments without failure in their lives, but I have never ever met one like that. We are not without sins, but we must strive for the good. My film demonstrates how easy it is to make mistakes one after the other, and even in one morning break all the fundamentals that make a person human.
What should people take away, gain, realize after watching your film?
In one thing everyone agrees. Namely, that I succeeded to show certain problems (still existing today ) in the past through eternal laws. All this while observing a grotesque figure. I had a similar goal.
What creation style did you use in the production of your project? What cameraman elements did you use?
As we had only 1500USD as a budget for making this film, this gave me serious burdens in terms of selecting my own style. WE had a lot of obstacles which didn't let us choose between cameras or objectives. But I am happy that we made it and even under these strict circumstances we could create something unique.
How did you select the actors for your project?
There were certain human traits that I thought a character like Peter should play. A younger actor could not have played this so well. It was important to bring the style features that we identify with, e.g. the dictators. He was very easy to work with. At every moment he delivered what I asked of him.
Why do you think your film should appeal to distributors?
Because it conveys something that many people have already tried to "shove" down people's throats - with more or less success - but perhaps in this form the story is even more original and contemporary. In the past, opening up a set of problems that still exists now in the light of the universal commandments was a suitable challenge and I feel that it achieved the expected result.I would not like it to be a film just for the target group, because we have revealed something valid for all of us in it. It tells the same thing to the elderly and parents that it is not too late to change, but also to the children and young people that it is their time. Being good is sexy!
At which festival has your film been screened?
To be honest, we have won in so many places that it would be difficult to list them all. We have dozens of wins for Best Short Film or Best Director.
How did your acquaintances react when they first saw the film?
Interestingly, after my two children, this was the first thing that everyone agreed on. „Well done Imi!" It was possible to open up certain problems (that still exist) in the past through perpetual laws. All this while observing a grotesque figure. I had a similar goal.
If you could change something in your film, what would it be?
I had a longer version for this film, with more actor. That would have better illustrated the Communist Hungary's politicians' soul and way of thinking. But due to our small budget, we had to shorten the film.
Which movies are your favorites and why?
Difficult question, there are many... but perhaps P.G.: The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, then Rosencranz and Guildenstern are Dead, Adrian Lyne: Jacob's Ladder, Stanley Kubrick: Pahts of Glory: Paths of Glory.
What topics do you like to address in your stories?
I would like to open the eyes of many people towards those who, because of some idea or some selfish reasons devote their possible salvation for the sake of a better eartlhly life. I think there is a kind of self sacrifice arising from human ignorance combined with some false sense of untouchability, thereby distorting the judgement of strong, upright people. I am convinced that holy people do not sacrifice the salvation of their souls, they are good because they obey God's rules and laws, since they want to get to heaven. We can say they are driven by self interest. On the contrary, those who, such as criminals and politicians, throw away the eternal orders in the hope of earthly prosperity. Here, too, we can distinguish between two types of criminals and politicians. The good criminal, so to speak, breaks God's commandments in order to help those in need, like some kind of Robin Hood. He takes it from the rich and gives it to the poor, knowing that he will most likely not go to heaven because of it. Despite everything, he accepts the punishment after life on earth. The evilish one only looks at the well-being of himself and his immediate environment. A good politician chooses the wrong path because he has sworn to protect his state and its people. Therefore, if necessary, he starts a war, lies, even kills. But my main character in my short film is the last General Secretary of the former Hungarian People's Republic, who isn't led by any supreme interests but by a much worse and more evil force: the money, the greed of power, the human stupidity and materialism. I believe, that there are some people, who have been keeping all the 10 commandments of God in their whole life but I've never met one of them. My film also tries to show, how simply people can make mistakes again and again, and therefore how easily they can break even in a morning all of the fundamentals, wich mostly define the human-being.
What is your motivation in making films?
It was a teenage dream. Acting never particularly interested me. It was the background work that got me. Then I thought about it once in the USA and enrolled in advertising and marketing, where I also studied filmmaking. I started there at the amateur level. Unfortunately, I have not been an artist in filmmaking since then, but I have become a good industrialist.
Which contemporary filmmakers motivate you the most?
I don't have a real film role model. There are directors and writers who have influenced me to some extent when I was young. Such is Peter Greenway, who is one of the greatest for me, along with Stanley Kubrick.
What projects do you plan to shoot in the future?
I would like to bring a true story set in the 1950s to the screen. Full of unimaginable action, an explanation that only life can produce.