GOOD Hungary Premiere ( and press conference )

06.12.2008

A couple of weeks ago it took me by surprise that Jason would come to Budapest again. As it turned out after some brief correspondance, he and Viggo Mortenesen would come to Puskin cinema where the gala premiere of „Good” was to be held. First, it seemed that I would not be there being held up by various events, but finally I could not resist. I thought it impossible not to see Jason again.

The machinery started itself: I got the info that the press conference would be held in Sofitel Budapest Maria Dorottya Hotel at 2 pm and the gala night in Puskin would start at 7.  I called Daisy, editor of the Lumos site who contacted the firm Laurin – the Hungarian co-producer firm which helped the making of the film in Hungary – and in their reply they invited Daisy to the press conference. I’ve taken her advice, contacted Laurin myself, referring to my website and last year’s meeting and within 24 hours they sent me the invitation card both to the press conference and the gala premiere.

The machinery started itself: I got the info that the press conference would be held in Sofitel Budapest Maria Dorottya Hotel at 2 pm and the gala night in Puskin would start at 7.  I called Daisy, editor of the Lumos site who contacted the firm Laurin – the Hungarian co-producer firm which helped the making of the film in Hungary – and in their reply they invited Daisy to the press conference. I’ve taken her advice, contacted Laurin myself, referring to my website and last year’s meeting and within 24 hours they sent me the invitation card both to the press conference and the gala premiere.

 On 6th Dec at half past two I was waiting in front of the hotel. Luckily the weather was fine, the last sunny day of the year. For certain reasons I took my nine-year-old son with me so I had a little bit of worry that this might be a hindrance.
Daisy’s confidence made me self-assured, too and I followed her determinedly up to the receptionists and asked about the whereabouts of the conference. For our biggest surprise they just showed us the right side staircase:
- Up on the right side, then turn left, it’s in Room B.
We quickly disappeared before they could ask or say anything else.

There was a big hustle in front of the room. Press photographers, journalists were standing beside the tables, nibbling on pogácsa (it is traditional Hungarian food, quite close to scones), drinking mineral water. We did not stop – who can think of eating in a moment like this – we went into the room instead, where some „Good” posters were hanging on he wall. Under the pics, there was a long table with four chairs, and on the table there were only four  lonely namecards. One of them was Jason’s.

I was still expecting – well, hell of an expectation – someone to come to me and to call me to account for my presence there but since nothing had happened we sat down in the middle of the third row. I tried to look important so I got out my overused notebook and two different pens. A couple of minutes had passed like that, it was almost quarter past two when a gentleman in spangled, cross-bones and skull T-shirt jumped in front of us to announce that Viggo Mortensen and Miriam Segal producer had missed the connection in Vienna. They were in a car at that time, driving towards Budapest. Till they arrive, Jason Isaacs and Kende Zsófia would be keen to answer the questions. Should have I been sad?!

After a couple of minutes Jason came in, dressed in black from tip to toe naturally which I would have bet on any time. Although being very cautious, an unintentional „Oh my God” left my lips. He had a  more moderate moustache this time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t ask him whether this is his disguise in Brotherhood or not. He stepped behind the table, put the namecards in order, turned down Viggo’s and Miriam’s with a huge grin which raised a laugh in the room. He put his Father Christmas package and birch (he probably got that from the organizer and he liked it very much) on the table and greeted everyone with a smile. (Father Christmas comes to Hungary on 6th of December, Christmas presents are brought by the Little Jesus traditionally)

Only Jason part 1 http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=8fb1352ae63d290491b20cc0d07ba4d2208c18d0be451e83

Only Jason part 2 http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=8fb1352ae63d290491b20cc0d07ba4d26bc985483dc5c165

 

 

When the first act finished, Jason was besieged by journalists and us. One organizer wanted to take him away but I stepped in front of him:
- Jason, please! – I said, using my imploring look and my son. Jason could not resist to such an attack, and knowing him, he did not even want to. We shook hands and he was moved by Rafet’s (my son) introduction – imagine that he put his hand on his heart and introduced himself. He received the Harry Potter sticker album with an ovation, he was happiest when he found himself in it as Lucius Malfoy. It is not only us who are obsessed with the character. LOL He signed it quickly, crouched beside my son and hugged him to have a photo taken with us. Then he was carried away.
 

 

After ten minutes I realized that the photo which I wanted to have it signed for Blooming had been in my bag, too. Waiting started all over again, it was around four o’clock and little info was known of the whereabouts of Viggo. Most press guys grumbled because of the delay, after all they had to hand in the material in time. But we enjoyed even waiting, we were there, were able to listen to, photo and video Jason for more than 45 minutes.

I had a female journalist by my side from the tabloid Bors and she noted how lovely Jason is. I agreed and told her about our favourite Brit. She did not really get the fact that I had not made money out of our meeting although I tried to explain how much more that day meant to me.

 

 

Miriam and Viggo arrived around five o’clock.

Jason and Viggo part 1 http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=8fb1352ae63d290491b20cc0d07ba4d2af827c9b0ee0e164

Jason and Viggo part 2 http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=8fb1352ae63d290491b20cc0d07ba4d24f133777a1165928

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second act of the conference ended far more quickly and we had to hurry to get Jason again. Daisy managed to succeed in her own business – and then I put that picture under Jason’s nose which might made him remember us finally. Daisy asked me to take a photo with them which I gladly did. She offered to take a picture of us, too. The organizers were quite nervous because the face to face interviews were already late. I waved to let it go, but Jason did not let it.
- No way! – he said and pulled me beside him, hugged me with an ease and the pic was ready.
What should I say???
 

 

Jason, you can only be loved! Though I am suspicious that Jason did not remember us. Either his weak memory or he thought us to be journalists and did not even recognize us for the girls who got him last year in Károlyi Garden.

Joyfully, smiling all the way we floated out of the hotel. Next is the gala premiere!

 

After a short intermezzo I arrived to the Puskin with my son just before quarter past 7 where Aribeth, Candy and Helia had already been waiting. I shared my infos with them and told them assuredly not to expect anything to happen before half past seven.
There weren’t many people in the cinema but we did not mind. We were standing there, chatting when a young girl twirled in front of us with a huge microphone and with a boy behind her with a huge camera on his shoulder.
- What do you know of the film? – she asked Candy who pointed me out and I returned her kindness with a grim look.
- Ask her! She was at the press conference.
- Superb! We couldn’t get in. – came the answer. I suddenly grew a couple of meters. - What is your opinion of the two main actors? What kind of people are they?
- Well, they seemed to be getting on well. They are both very nice people.
Then the girl:
- Viggo Mortesen and Jason… - she did not know his name so I said:
- Jason ISAACS, English actor (here I gave a short Jason mini bio), one of the main characters in the film, he plays Maurice whose character (here came a short synopsis of the film) and the woman then asked:
- How much is this film different from other Holcaust movies?
Here I told her everything I heard from Jason a couple of hours ago. According to Candy and the girls I was so professional as if I were the manager of Jason. I wish… *sigh*

They arrived.

 

 Cameras flashed, then Jason and Viggo entered to the screening room, stepped up the stage where members of the press could ask their questions again. Candy and the others sat in the first row and listened the whole thing over. This is their report:

They were asked how difficult it was to get out of their character after the shooting. Viggo gave a long detailed answer, told them that he is never in a hurry with these things then he talked about morals, that he portrayed a man not a hero, somebody who made his decisions (which led him into the machinery of the Nazi Germany) and who finally took responsibility. He elaborated on the need of people to live in their own dream worlds, which protects them for a while but there are moments when they have to come to their senses and face reality. And the consequences of their deeds. This is the situation in which his character ends up, who finally has to realize how horrible is the end where his path led.
The interpreter girl was not really ready for this profession and when she ended up with the translation, Jason got so bored that he just said that yeah, it was difficult to get out of the character. They mentioned how they wanted to avoid the melodrama, accentuated emotional scenes or monumental finals, what’s more, even symbolic acts.
They talked about American critics who resented a sentence Maurice said to Halder : „I’m a Jew, and you’ re a Nazi. This is the end of the story.” This film is set in Germany in the 30s, really don’t know what to resent so much, honestly, what are the chances of survival of a friendship where a Jew and a Nazi are involved?
Jason talked about how long he had been involved in this film. He, as a Jew knows a lot about Holocaust but after portraying a person on screen who battled life in those times he got closer to the topic, understood the events better.

Miriam Segal was nice too. She told us that the film evoked different reactions in different countries, in Italy for example, people did not dare to laugh at the punchlines being afraid they would laugh at Holocaust itself.
They were asked about the origins of the film. The play the film is based on has been collected together from three different sources. Only one was talked about. Long ago somebody wrote an article about passive euthanasia which aroused the interest of the Nazi party for it was about how to help people who can’t help themselves. She also marked that interestingly euthanasia ended up on the left side of politics at the end of the 20th century.
A reporter asked why these actors had been chosen for the roles.

Jason said: We are cheap enough.  :D
Jason has always been part of the project but in the first drafts there had been various actors picked on the role of Halder. They wanted Viggo very badly but they thought it is without a chance, he is a big star, he had stressed how he wants to have a year of total relaxation, that’s it. Jason did not give up, though and risked a bit: he asked one of his friends who knew Viggo to make him read the script. Viggo peeped in the script, remembered he saw the play earlier and after the second page he accepted the offer.

The producers were like happy hippos, this was a 20-million-dollar independent project and they needed an actor badly who does quality work and is a big enough name to attract audience. The producer told us that the first consideration was that they needed these remarkable actors whose technique is authentic. But this being an unusually expensive independent project they needed a star to bring people in, but not just a star, also a talented actor and this is a very rare combination so that’s why Viggo was an excellent choice.
The journalists were a bit overshy, six of them made regular moves. ( If we had had the chance to see the film, we would have asked, I swear, at the time we entered the point of impertinence from where there’s no return. ) Thank God, the boys and the lady did an enthusiastic performance.
 

Odds and ends:

The microphone cable kept stuck under Viggo’s shoe.
Jason teased the cast every five minutes, he couldn’t sit still.
Jason, this madman recorded us with his camera between two questions.
Viggo is not aging. He looks fabulous. He’s very low-key. Intelligent. Good-humoured. Jason is the role model of easy-goingness himself.

I was standing in the hall, totally tired, ready to leave when I was surprised to see Jason coming out of the room. He looked at me and as he saw me several times that day, he greeted me. Then they went into the café with Viggo and a small group of people.
We took a look at our photos and then Candy looked up and in a dying voice she said:
- Luci…Jason…

We looked up too and Jason was there, waiting for us to notice him. Taking advantage of the situation I gave him 2 Hungarian tricolored bracelets.

 

 He thanked it and promised to give the other one to Viggo. He waved, said goodbye to my son and left with Miriam. He probably needed a break for a smoke….:)
But before leaving he lifted up the bracelet:
- I’m gonna wear it all night! – he shouted and then left.

 

 

 

Candy, Jason, Aribeth and Helia Candy, Jason, Viggo, Helia and Aribeth