Pál Erdőss
Pál Erdőss (1947–2007) was a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and producer whose career encompassed both documentary and feature filmmaking. He began working in Hungarian television in 1965 as a location manager and assistant director before joining MAFILM in 1967. He later worked as a director for Hungarian Television and became associated with the Társulás Film Studio, where he directed many of his early films. Erdőss began directing documentaries in the early 1970s, often focusing on contemporary Hungarian social issues. His first feature film, The Princess (Adj király katonát!, 1982), portrayed the difficulties faced by a young rural woman who moves to Budapest. The film brought him international recognition, winning the Caméra d'Or at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival. His subsequent films - including Countdown (Visszaszámlálás, 1985), Homo Novus (1990), A Light-Sensitive Story (Fényérzékeny történet, 1993), Bloodline (Vérvonal, 1993), and Glass Wall (Üvegfal, 2004) - continued his interest in contemporary social realities and individuals confronted by difficult circumstances. He received the Béla Balázs Award in 1987 for his feature and documentary work.