Levente Kovacs
Graduated as an English-Hungarian language and literature teacher, Levente turned to the world of films and commercials. Chief Creative Officer at White Rabbit Budapest by day; screenwriter/director of indie movies by night. However, his "teacher's vein" never left him: he's trying to teach and educate people, that's why he's translating and self-publishing books on creativity; writing a blog on ads and communication; writing radio plays, teleplays, commercials, screenplays. "Rododendron: is his first short.

Levente Torcsi
Translating Eastern traditional texts, then studying contemporary Eastern literature and the history of Eastern dictatorships, he got a scholarship and travelled through Middle East and some parts of Inner Asia. Levente did his first short 4 years ago, titled Legacy, that portrays the late years of Hungarian communism, through the lives of the tenants of a derelict condominium. He also writes radio plays, teleplays, music videos and commercial videos.

— Levente Kovacs: Rododendron is a fictitious story. It didn't happen; but it could have. And it gave us a perfect premise to explore the notion of "freedom" more than 30 years after the "Change of Regime" that took place in our country in 1989. Where's the border of identitity? How an agent of the Hungarian communist regime might have reacted in those days? And portraying him, we ask ourselves: how can one reclaim his freedom? Does the "Change of Regime" mean any change in attitudes? Tough questions.

— Levente Torcsi: Rododendron is a parable. That's why it takes place on the day of the symbolic fence-cutting on the Austro-Hungarian border. That act – a few months before the fall of the Berlin Wall – meant the fall of Communism. But it wasn't just the end of a Regime, it was also the beginning or "redesigning" a new system. Of course, redesign was needed on a personal level as well, which raises difficult questions to anwer. And difficult decisions to make.

— Levente Kovacs: We wrote the script pretty fast. Getting the money was a bit slower process; but the Hungarian Media Patronage Programme finally funded the production. And we also had great support from our co-producers. For the main character we approached Gyorgy Cserhalmi – who played in the Oscar winning Hungarian film "Mephisto" by Istvan Szabo, played more than 300 movies, so he's really a living legend –, we sent him the script, and he said "yes!", immediately. That was a great start.

— Levente Torcsi: And having Tibor Gaspar and Laszlo Gorog was also a great honour for us. Both are prominent actors in Hungary, and it's a great appreciation that they accepted the roles. Tibor delivered a fantastic tranformation in the character of Farago (the former agent); while Laszlo (in the character of Bardos) has such an unforgettable "laugh" in the interrogation scene, that once you see it – it stays with you for a long time. These are true moments, when the soul reveals itself for us.

— Levente Kovacs: According to the script, our story takes place in a scorching summer day (as another symbolic reference to a boiling country about to change). Actually, on the days of the shooting we also had extremely hot weather. I mean: really, really hot. Inside the car it was almost unbearable, like 50 Celsius. The opening shots of the movie were taken on the second day; by then both actors had been "boiling" in the car for two days (kudos to them: they didn't complained even a word about it). And that experience made Cserhalmi improvise his very first lines: "Have you ever travelled in a sauna? Now you will". It wasn't in the script, but I love that. That's another great example of happy accidents, and the power of spontaneity.

— Levente Torcsi: My moment is related to Cserhalmi as well: on the beginning of the shooting he gave us a very special souvenir. It was a piece of barbed wire cut off the original "Iron Curtain" of the Austro-Hungarian border. On the same day when our story takes place. That was another perfect symbol; and it also suggested how he felt about the short. So we were really honoured and pleased by his gesture.

— Levente Kovacs: My dream is to find the right people who share the same visions and are fuelled with the same energies to create meaningful, emotionally compelling and perfectly crafted work. Together with us.
— Levente Torcsi: Shooting a co-produced feature movie with a foreign partner. In Russia, perhaps:)

— Levente Kovacs :

"- Looks like we're shy a horse.
- You brought two too many."
(Harmonica replying to the gunmen sent to kill him in the opening scene of Sergio Leone's classic Once Upon a Time in the Wild West.)

— Levente Torcsi:

"There are serious crimes that only art can show."
(Never look away, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)

— Levente Kovacs : Making a film is a complex, complicated and tough challenge. Believe in your story, believe in yourself – and stick to your guns. God appreciates persistancy.
— Levente Torcsi: First come up with a good story, and focus on two important aspects: well-crafted dialogue and perfect story arc. These are the basics. Then your script might open doors to producers. And never give up fighting for your story.