The Time Twister - An Interview With István Madarász
December 11th, 2008You shot this film nearly three years ago. Is there anything you would do in a different way today?
I would only change some little details. There is a scene at the end of the film which we wanted to leave uncut but the rythm wasn’t right so we had to cut it finally, but that’s something that probably bothers only me. Also, there was another scene we couldn’t shoot because there was no time left for it. At the end, when the prisoner leaves his cell, three guards would have been lying shot in the corridor, as a result of the rescue action of his clone/alter ego/future self. When we made the film, I was really sorry we had to leave this bit out but now I am glad it’s not in the film. In this way, it really became a “one room-two men” film.
You wrote the screenplay, too. Where did you get your inspiration?
I often walk around listening to music and 80% of my ideas occur to me when I am in the shower. Sometimes I don’t finish taking my shower for ages and my wife gets really upset. Some of my friends think I have a split personality, which I conceal cleverly. But no, thanks, we are fine. Mind you, in most of my films the protagonist doubles himself and even meets himself. But that’s the kind of story that keeps going around in my mind. I love films with the main question “What would happen if…?” That there is a man who finds himself in the middle of the most incredible muddle. And we, the audience, keep crossing our fingers for him while trying to figure out what the hell is happening. This is what I wanted to do here, in this film.
Lots of film festivals have hosted your film.What is the remark - praise or criticism - you have heard most often?
The best was when someone said how utterly good the film was. Also, when I met the Spanish composer Lucio Godoy in Spain (who composed the music for the films Intacto and Aura) and had a long chat with him. He gave me full marks on the film. That was wonderful. But people often crtiticise me for overdoing the music in the film - in all my films, in fact. But that’s how I like it at the moment, I like films with a strong musical feature. This might change in the future though…
Do you feel content after such a successful festival tour?
Not totally. I thought I would get the Oscar nomination for the best short film. I didn’t and I still haven’t recovered from it. 
But seriously, the only disappointing thing is that I thought things would accelerate from now on. I would make some new short films (I have got some really good screenplays!) and eventually, I could start making feature films. But three years have passed and still nothing… Things happen much more slowly than I expected.
You are planning to make a feature film, maybe even more feature films at the same time - tell us about them in a few words!I have written a screenplay called The Loop in the wake of Sooner or Later. It’s a tricky thriller with a time twist and it has won a prize at the 1st Central European Pith Forum last year. Everybody seems to like it, it’s very promising, but again, things are moving very slowly towards realization. I am impatient but not worried - it is going to be a very good film! My most recent screenplay is for an adventure film based on a true story, targeting young audiences. It is about five secondary school students getting in trouble at a rafting tour in Slovenia. It is called The Invincibles and if everything goes well, we can finish the shooting in 2009, even before The Loop.
At the time when Europe needs to be built through concrete projects, the NISI MASA Short Film Scripts Contest is a unique initiative in its ambition as well as in its spirit. Cinema needs such event to develop itself on a European scale. The objectives we want to achieve through the contest are to develop short film projects at a European level and to create a network of young professionals.
