Ralph Fiennes (Conclave, The English Patient, Schindler’s List) is starring alongside Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic, Green Book) in Embers, the upcoming film directed by Academy Award winner István Szabó (Mephisto, Colonel Redl, Sunshine, Being Julia), now filming on location in Budapest.
Academy Award nominee Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Dune) has joined the cast, along with Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why, Knives Out), Louis Hofmann (All the Light We Cannot See), Gijs Blom (The Kollective), Evelyne Brochu (French Girl), and Jonah Russell (Lady Chatterley’s Lover).
Embers is written by Academy Award winner Christopher Hampton (The Father, Atonement, Dangerous Liaisons), adapted from the internationally best-selling novel of the same name by Sándor Márai.
Embers reconnects once inseparable friends, Henrik and Konrad, 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.
Hampton first adapted Márai’s beloved novel as a stage play. Following its successful run on London’s West End, he then delivered a screen draft to Szabó with a single message, “In hope”. The material was tailor-made to reunite Szabó with his Sunshine and Being Julia producer, Lantos, and Sunshine star, Fiennes.
“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,” says Fiennes.
“To have worked alongside Ralph Fiennes for István Szabó on Christopher Hampton’s adaptation of Sándor Márai’s beautiful novel has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring challenge,” adds Mortensen.
“Since Christopher Hampton sent it to me, Robert Lantos and I have been waiting to film the best script I have ever held in my hands. The basis, Márai’s novel, is one of the most beautiful works of 20th-century fiction. Christopher perfectly adapted the novel for film,” Szabó shares.
“I have worked with Ralph, Viggo, and István in the past. Uniting them to make Christopher Hampton’s magnificent screenplay come to life is a fantasy realized. Embers is my dream team film,” says Lantos.
The film is produced by Robert Lantos (Sunshine, Barney’s Version, The Sweet Hereafter, Eastern Promises) and Tibor Krsko (Rise of the Raven, Fateless). Ari Lantos (Remember, Clara) is Producer, and Laura Lanktree (Crimes of the Future) is Co-producer. Executive Producers include Jan Mojto, Atom Egoyan, Tim Haslam, and Andrea Calderwood, with Hampton and Jeff Sackman as Co-Executive Producers.
Embankment Films is handling international sales. “Embers is a high-stakes psychological duel, in which a moment of desire and betrayal defines a lifetime,” says Tim Haslam.
Joining Szabó are Academy Award-winning composer Mychael Danna (Life of Pi), production designer Attila F. Kovacs (Sunshine), cinematographer Dániel Garas (Rise of the Raven), costume designer Bea Merkovits (Rise of the Raven), and editor David Wharnsby (Away From Her). The film was cast by Academy Award nominee Nina Gold (Hamnet).
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