Veteran filmmaker and Oscar-winner István Szabó (“Mephisto,” “Being Julia,” “Sunshine”) has been shooting an under-the-radar period drama titled “Embers” in Budapest, Hungary, and, thankfully, we have some first-look images fresh from the production.
The cast assembled for ‘Embers” includes Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”), Viggo Mortensen (“Eastern Promises”), Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Two Pianos”), Katherine Langford (“13 Reasons Why”), Louis Hofmann (“All The Light We Cannot See”), Gijs Blom (“The Kollective”), Evelyne Brochu (“French Girl”), and Jonah Russell (“Lady Chatterly’s Lover”).
Szabó is directing “Embers” from a script that was adapted by two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter Christopher Hampton from Sándor Márai‘s acclaimed novel (the writer previously adapted the work for a 2006 stage play). Hampton’s previous film credits include “The Father,” “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Atonement,” and “The Son.”
A synopsis for “Embers,” as mentioned by Deadline:
“‘Embers’ reconnects once inseparable friends, Henrik (Fiennes) and Konrad (Mortensen), decades after Konrad’s mysterious disappearance and uncovers over the course of one evening the secret that tore them apart—and the woman at the center of it.”
Embankment Films will be launching sales for “Embers” ahead of the Cannes Film Market (a place for films to seek buyers, distributors, and financing partners), which takes place alongside the Cannes Film Festival in May. Producers on the period drama include Robert Lantos for Serendipity Point Films and Tibor Krsko at HGO Films.
“I had long hoped to be reunited with István Szabó on another film. Robert Lantos has brought us together with Christopher Hampton’s wonderful adaptation of Embers. One of the great joys of this project was to be able to work with Viggo Mortensen. He is a great actor who I have admired for many years. It was something extraordinary to be on the set with him, István and a superb Hungarian crew,” Fiennes said in an official statement about reuniting with the director of “Sunshine.”
That said, you can view those two first-look images from “Embers” below, which feature Fiennes, Mortensen, and Lanford in character.


Christopher Marc is lead writer at The Playlist and the primary engine behind our daily news coverage. Chris is based in Canada and tracks everything from Marvel and Star Wars developments to arthouse acquisitions and festival buzz with equal enthusiasm and an instinct for the story readers actually want to read.
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