04/08/08

Artificial Eye presents

From the Director of WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES and SATANTANGO

THE MAN FROM LONDON (CERT TBC)

(A LONDONI FÉRFI)

A film by BÉLA TARR

Based upon the Novel L'HOMME DE LONDRES by Georges Simenon

IN COMPETITION - CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2007 EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL 2007

Starring

MIROSLAV KROBOT, TILDA SWINTON, ERIKA BÓK, JÁNOS DERZSI, ÁGI SZIRTES and ISTVÁN LÉNÁRT

Hungary/France/Germany, 2007 / 135 Mins / In French and English with English Subtitles / In Black and White /

1:1,85 / stereo

A T.T. FILMMŰHELY, 13 PRODUCTION, CINEMA SOLEIL, VON VIETINGHOFF FILMPRODUKTION and BLACK FOREST FILMS co-production

UK RELEASE DATE: 12 December 2008

Opening at the Renoir Cinema and selected cinemas nationwide

An Artificial Eye Release

Images are available on image.net

For further information please contact: press@artificial-eye.com

Artificial Eye Film Company, 20 - 22 Stukeley Street London WC2B 5LR

Director Béla Tarr Co-director & Editor Ágnes Hranitzky Producers Gábor Téni, Paul Saadoun, Miriam

Zachar, Joachim von Vietinghoff, Christoph Hahnheiser

Production Company T.T. Filmműhely, 13 Production, Cinema Soleil, Von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion, Black Forest Films

Screenplay László Krasznahorkai, Béla Tarr Based on the novel L'HOMME DE LONDRES

by Georges Simenon Director of Photography Fred Kelemen Music Mihály Víg Sound György Kovács Art Direction László Rajk & Ágnes Hranitzky,

Jean-Pascal Chalard Production Manager Jean-Claude Marchant &

Pierre Dieulafait Costume Designer János Breckl

MMK, OKM, CNC, ARTE FRANCE CINÉMA, ZDF/ARTE, CANAL+, EURIMAGES, NKA, MEDIENBOARD, CTC, DUNA TV, CINÉCINÉMA, ERSTE

BANK, MAGYAR MOZGÓKÉP KFT., SZERENCSEJÁTÉK ZRT, MONTECINEMAVERITA FOUND

CAST MALOIN Miroslav Krobot MRS. MALOIN Tilda Swinton HENRIETTE Erika Bók BROWN János Derzsi MRS. BROWN Ági Szirtes MORRISON István Lénárt

SYNOPSIS Maloin leads a simple life without prospects at the edge of the infinite sea; he barely notices the world around him, has already accepted the slow and inevitable deterioration of life around him and his all but complete loneliness. When he becomes a witness to a murder, his life takes a sudden turn. He comes face to face with issues of morality, sin, punishment, the line between innocence and complicity in a crime, and this state of scepsis leads him to the ontological question of the meaning and worth of existence. The film is about desire, man’s indestructible longing for a life of freedom and happiness, about illusions never to be realised – about things that give all of us energy to continue living, to go to sleep and get up day after day… Maloin’s story is ours – all of those who doubt and are able to question our humdrum existence.

DIRECTOR’S NOTES If I have to say why I like and was drawn to this story, then the direct answer is that it deals with the eternal and the everyday at one and the same time. At one and the same time, it deals with the cosmic and the realistic, the divine and the human and, to my mind, contains the totality of nature and man, just as it contains their pettiness. I came to love Maloin. Maloin lives simply, without prospects, beside the infinite sea, takes little notice of the world around him, accepts his slow and inevitable deterioration and almost complete isolation. Gradually his contacts shrink and become mechanical, perhaps he remains closest to his daughter Henriette. When Maloin witnesses a murder, his life changes. He has to confront the moral questions of what constitutes crime and punishment, where to draw the line between innocence and complicity in a crime, scepticism leads him to questioning the very meaning and worth of existence. The temptation of a new life of a different quality takes hold over him. Maloin accepts the hardest test of all, and after committing the most serious crime of all, even with his innocence lost, he tries to retain his honour. Old, balding and lined in the face, yet he finally becomes a man. But manhood and wisdom may be too much to live with. His attempt to create a new and different life ends in failure.

Maloin’s story is our story, personally I feel it particularly as my own, familiar and close, unfriendly and harsh, just like the surroundings in which it is played out. The film’s tone is thus personal, each frame reflects how I see the world and through its simplicity of style, I am trying to bring to life the complexity of Maloin’s working-class surroundings, with as much authenticity and affection as possible. If I have to describe the style and structure of the film, I would first have to say that the film’s composition and rhythm is determined by the monotony of Maloin’s working day. We are constantly at his side, we follow him around and see the world through his eyes. We climb up the steps up to his signal cabin with him, and come down them with him to go to the café. We drink a brandy with him and go and buy fish for lunch with him. These uneventful days repeat themselves with a different meaning, Maloin’s duel with Brown and the rising tension puts them in a new context. Everything we have seen turns into something else, whatever was familiar becomes alien, whatever was easeful becomes hectic, whatever was comforting becomes threatening. We enter into this spiral, following its every turn. Our attention is drawn into the inner processes of the human being. The constantly moving camera will trace the eyes, follow all signs of meta-communication and zoom in softly from open vistas to close-ups. The camera is inside and outside at the same time, it concentrates on faces, especially the eyes; yet in every scene we are always looking outwards, we see the harbour and the sea, we feel closed in and, with this, the temptation of infinite freedom. The foggy, dank, black-and-white images, the drifting shadows under dim lights and the moonlight reflected in the bay lend a special beauty to the drama unfolding before us. The film speaks about desire, man’s indestructible longing for a life of freedom and happiness, about illusive dreams never to be realized, about what gives all of us the strength to go on living, to go to bed and get up day after day… I am convinced that Maloin’s story belongs not just to me, but belongs to all those with doubts and questions about our humdrum existence, yet are able to resist temptation: to all that have the courage to preserve their human dignity.

29th July, 2003

Béla Tarr

BÉLA TARR BIOGRAPHY Béla Tarr was born in 1955 in Pécs, Hungary. At age 16, he began his career as an amateur film-maker. He also worked as a shipyard handyman and porter. In 1977, he debuted with his feature film FAMILY NEST. He is an associate professor at the Berlin DFFB.

FILMOGRAPHY

2007 THE MAN FROM LONDON / A LONDONI FÉRFI - An Artificial Eye Release -

2004 PROLOGUE / PROLOGUS (Short Film)

2000 WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES / WERCKMEISTER HARMÓNIÁK

- An Artificial Eye Release -

1995 JOURNEY ON THE PLAIN / UTAZÁS AZ ALFÖLDÖN (Short Film)

1994 SATANTANGO

- An Artificial Eye DVD Release -

1989 CITY LIFE (segment “THE LAST BOAT” / “AZ UTOLSÓ HAJÓ”) (Short Film)

1987 DAMNATION / KÁRHOZAT

- An Artificial Eye Release –

1984 ALMANAC OF FALL / ŐSZI ALMANACH

1982 THE PREFAB PEOPLE / PANELKAPCSOLAT

1982 MACBETH

1980 THE OUTSIDER / SZABADGYALOG

1978 HOTEL MAGNEZIT (Short Film)

1977 FAMILY NEST / CSALÁDI TŰZFÉSZEK

CAST

Miroslav Krobot (Maloin) Born in 1951 in Sumperk, Czech Republic, he is the art director of Theatre of Dejvice in Prague, as well as actor and pedagogue at the Academy of Arts in Prague. The Theatre of Dejvice was honoured as Theatre of the Year 2006 by critics in the Czech Republic. His acting career started in 2005 in Petr Zelenka´s movie WRONG SIDE UP, in which he won the Czech Lion for Best Supporting Actor.

Tilda Swinton (Mrs. Maloin) A native of Scotland, Tilda Swinton collaborated with Derek Jarman on eight films, including CARAVAGGIO, WAR REQUIEM and EDWARD II, for which she was awarded Best Actress at the 1992 Venice Film Festival. Her versatility is demonstrated by her choice of projects as diverse as THE DEEP END, ORLANDO, FEMALE PERVERSIONS, ADAPTATION, YOUNG ADAM, CONSTANTINE, THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE and the forthcoming JULIA, directed by Erick Zonca.

Erika Bók (Henriette) Debuted at age 11 – whilst living in a orphanage – as Estike in the film SATANTANGO in 1994. She is the mother of two, earning her living through temporary jobs. THE MAN FROM LONDON’s Henriette is her second starring role.

János Derzsi (Brown) Born in 1954, in Nyírábrány, Hungary. He earned his degree in Acting in 1988 at the Budapest University of Theatre and Cinema. Due to his scandalous behaviour, his studies were repeatedly interrupted by the university authorities. He has been repeatedly cast in the lead role in the films of Gábor Bódy, György Fehér and Béla Tarr. THE MAN FROM LONDON is his sixtieth lead role in a film.

Ági Szirtes (Mrs. Brown)

Born in 1955. Graduated from the Budapest University of Theatre and Cinema in 1978. She has been an actress in the best known Hungarian theatre company, the József Katona Theatre, for the last 25 years.

István Lénárt (Morrison) He is the associate of Zoltán Fábry, Zoltán Várkonyi, Károly Makk, amongst other well-known directors. For five decades, he has filled lead positions at the Hungarian Television Station. He won a lifetime achievement award in the Hungarian Film Profession and is a permanent member of Hungarian Television. Besides his organisational activities and his roles in Béla Tarr’s films, he also had an acting role in György Fehér’s films PASSION and TWILIGHT.

CREW

Ágnes Hranitzky (Editor, Co-Director) Ágnes Hranitzky graduated from the Budapest University of Theatre and Cinema in 1972 as an editor. At the beginning of her career, she participated in the films of Miklós Jancsó, István Szabó and Márta Mészáros. Béla Tarr’s permanent associate since 1978.

László Krasznahorkai (Co-writer) Born in 1954, in Gyula. His first novel, SATANTANGO, was published in 1985. Since then a number of his novels and short stories have appeared in print. His works have been published in English, German, French and Spanish language territories. He has also received several international and Hungarian awards and honours for literature.

Mihály Víg (Music) Born in 1957, in Budapest. Composer, screenwriter, poet and actor. He has been the lead musician of the beat band Balaton since 1979. Béla Tarr’s permanent composer since 1983. Lead role in the film SATANTANGO.

Fred Kelemen (Director of Photography) Born in Berlin, West Germany, Fred Kelemen is a Hungarian/German national. In 1995 he received the German National Film Award for his first feature FATE. Since that time, he has directed a number of films including FROST (1998), NIGHTFALL (1999) and FALLEN (2005), and collaborated as Director of Photography and Cameraman with film directors such as Béla Tarr, Rudolf Thome, Gariné Torossian, and others. Since 2000 he has directed several plays at different theatres in Germany. He also produces or co-produces films with his production company Kino Kombat Filmmanufactur.

Gábor Téni (Producer) Born 1966 in Budapest. He started work as a film projector engineer at MAFILM in 1984. Began his career in 1993 in the film SATANTANGO as unit manager. Since then, he has worked on Béla Tarr’s films as production manager. Amongst other well-known directors he has worked with include István Szabó, Péter Tímár and Géza Bereményi.

György Kovács (Sound Engineer) Born in 1942, in Budapest. Graduated from the Budapest University of Technology in 1965. From this moment on, he was a MAFILM sound engineer. Since then, he has worked on over 100 feature films, numerous TV films and some 70 sound disks. He has also composed the score for 17 feature and TV films. Main directors he was worked with: István Szabó, Pál Sándor and Béla Tarr.

László Rajk (Constructor, Production Designer)

Born in 1949. Production Designer of numerous Hungarian and international films since 1978. Lecturer in Film Construction at the Budapest University of Theatre and Cinema since 1992. Awarded the Merit of the Republic of France, the Middlecross of the Republic of Hungary and an award from the Republic of Poland in recognition of his artistic and architectural work.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES

T.T. FILMMŰHELY (Gábor Téni) TT Filmműhely was founded in July 2003 by Béla Tarr and Gábor Téni in order to produce the film THE MAN FROM LONDON. More and more freelance directors, as well as directors who cannot establish themselves within the existing structure of the film industry, have become attached to TT Filmműhely. TT Filmműhely’s primary aim is to produce films which renew the language of film and break through the known boundaries of film-making. Films produced so far include:

• PROLOGUE, directed by Béla Tarr (2004)

• DEATH RODE OUT OF PERSIA, directed by Putyi Horváth dr. (2004)

• JOHANNA, directed by Kornél Mundruczó (2005)

• FRAGMENT, directed by Gyula Maár (2007)

• THE MAN FROM LONDON, directed by Béla Tarr (2007)

13 PRODUCTIONS (Paul Saadoun)

After having written and directed documentary films, in 1985 Paul Saadoun created the Marseille-based 13 Production. As the CEO of this company, he produced documentaries and fiction features, many of which were selected and awarded by major film festivals around the world. He is member of the Council of the Festival « Vues sur les Docs » and of the « Festival de la Fiction de Saint Tropez ».

BLACK FOREST FILMS (Christoph Hahnheiser) Black Forest Films is a production company for high-quality commercial features. It was founded in 2002 by Christoph Hahnheiser (Meyer-Wiel), who has developed and produced more than 20 feature films with the Schlemmer Film Company during the past twelve years. Some highlights include THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISLAND (2007) by Michel Houellebecq, HAMACA PARAGUAYA (2006) by Paz Encina, EN LA CAMA (2005) by Matías Bize, HIJACK STORIES (2001) by Oliver Schmitz, ARTEMISIA (1998) by Agnés Merlet, THE BABY OF MACON (1993) by Peter Greenaway and ACT IN QUESTION (1992) by Alejandro Agresti, among others.

VON VIETINGHOFF FILMPRODUKTION (Joachim von Vietinghoff) Joachim von Vietinghoff has produced over 50 feature and television films. Many of them have been represented at major film festivals and have won numerous awards, such as Golden Berlin Bear winner DAVID (1979) by Peter Lilienthal and Cannes Competition entry ANGELS OF IRON (1981) by Thomas Brasch. Among the directors von Vietinghoff has produced are Thomas Brasch, Erden Kiral, Béla Tarr, Antonio Skarmeta, Heiko Schier, Reinhard Münster and Peter Lilienthal. He has also taught Production Management for some years at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin, Filmschool Hamburg-Berlin, University Magdeburg and Institute for actors and others.

ON THE FILMS BY BÉLA TARR

“Béla’s works are organic and contemplative in their intentions rather than shortened and contemporary. They find themselves contemplating life in a way that is almost impossible watching an ordinary modern film. They get so much closer to the real rhythms of life that it is like seeing the birth of a new cinema. He is one of the few genuinely visionary filmmakers.” Gus Van Sant “Béla Tarr’s films remind us of the strange and beautiful potential of narrative cinema that so often lies hidden behind predictable conventions and formulas. (…) Tarr’s most recent work is an unusual, dreamlike and highly recommended cinematic event” Jim Jarmusch “(…) Therefore we need Béla Tarr’s films in order to live on. Each of us should try to do something in his or her own field to make sure that Béla Tarr’s work continues to exist”. Ulrich Gregor, Film Historian, Director of the International Forum of the Berlin Film Festival 1971-2001

ON SATANTANGO “A genuine masterpiece” – Stéphane Bouquet, Cahiers du Cinéma “Devastating, enthralling for every minute of its seven hours. I’d be glad to see it every year for the rest of my life.” – Susan Sontag

ON THE MAN FROM LONDON With or without Maigret, my father's novels always invite us to follow the life of a man or woman who is peculiarly similar to us along their dramatic way towards their unavoidable destiny. These lives are not easy to adapt for film or television but when, as in the case of The Man from London, the camera aspires to follow the suspense taking place entirely in the hero's mind, the task seems completely impossible. However, what Béla Tarr attempts to do in his film, in spite of all the incredible difficulties that occurred during the shooting, is a brilliant stylistic exercise, and though rough and hard at the same time, it has touched me very deeply. I wish to express my heartfelt thanks for that. John Simenon 5 May 2007