The Vacation

Dénes Nagy

Producers

Sára László, Olivier Dubois, Marcell Gerő, Jean-Laurent Csinidis

Lab Edition:

2024

Production

Campfilm, Hungary; Films De Force Majeure, France; Novak Prod, Belgium

Country

Hungary, France, Belgium

SYNOPSIS

A Hungarian farm worker in his 40s goes on an organized trip to Provence with his wife. It's the first time they've been abroad, and they speak no language other than their own.
During the trip, they make friends with another Hungarian couple, who seem to be more experienced travelers than they are. While his wife is excited by this new acquaintance, he feels more and more lost. He observes his wife slowly drifting away from him, which triggers an inner voyage of self-discovery.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

The basic premise of the film is that it will be working with an amateur cast: to build on the presence of these characters, to record their inner uncertainties.
Another important element is the comedy which stems from the protagonists’ ignorance. Our hearts open to these people: they are lost characters who try to stand their ground, but in the meantime, attempt to cover up their clumsiness. What can we do with realities that are alien to us? What do we do with the foreignness of ourselves?

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Award-winning scriptwriter-director Dénes Nagy graduated from the University of Theatre and Film Arts of Budapest in 2009. His debut feature "Natural Light" had its world premiere at the 2021 Berlinale where it won the Silver Bear Award for Best Director as well as the European Film Awards Best Production Design Award. He has made several short films, both documentary and fiction, which were screened and awarded at many significant national and international festivals.

ABOUT THE CO-WRITER

PRODUCERS

Sára László, Olivier Dubois, Marcell Gerő, Jean-Laurent Csinidis

Sára László and Marcell Gerő founded the Budapest based production company, Campfilm in 2007. The company’s credits include "Soft Rain" by Dénes Nagy (45th Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes), "Cain’s Children" by Marcell Gerő (62nd San Sebastian IFF), "The Euphoria of Being" by Réka Szabó (Grand Prix of the 30th Semaine de la Critique of the Locarno International Film festival) and "Natural Light" by Dénes Nagy (72nd Berlinale Competition Silver Bear Award for Best Director, EFA Best Production Design Award).

In 2010, Jean Laurent Csinidis co-created Films de Force Majeure, a production company focusing on auteur films and international collaborations. He has produced or co-produced 30 films, most of which have been shown in Cannes, Berlin, Locarno, Venice, as well as at the IDFA, Visions du Réel, Rotterdam, Cinéma du Réel or Annecy.

PRODUCTION COMPANY PROFILE

○ Campfilm, Budapest
○ sara@campfilm.eu | marcell@campfilm.eu | dini.nagy@yahoo.com
○ +36209922655 | +36209922629 | +36208234118

PRODUCTION BUDGET

○ Total budget: 2,110,837 USD
○ Confirmed budget and source: 105,076 USD (Filmjus Foundation - Hungary, Creative Europe - MEDIA, Baumi Script Development Award, Région Sud development support)

LANGUAGE

Hungarian, English, French

GENRE

Comedy

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