Tender son – The Frankenstein project

Synopsis

Long ago, a young man fathered a child without ever knowing what became of him. Now 17, his son Rudi returns home hoping to reunite with his family after years spent in an institution. Returning to his mother, he hopes to find acceptance, affection and most importantly, who his father is, but finds that he is not welcome. Almost by accident, Rudi slips into a casting session. The director of the film is transfixed by his innocence and thinks he has found his lead. But a terrible event soon compromises Rudi’s good intentions. He becomes a hunted murderer and the director realizes that Rudi, this peculiar and silent boy, is his son and his own monstrous creation. The director now has no other choice but to accompany his son on his inevitable, brutal path and their common search for redemption.

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel Frankenstein.

Watch trailer

Awards

2010 – Cannes Film Festival
Official Selection

2011 – Budapest Hungarian Film Week
Best Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Best Cinematography: Mátyás Erdély

2010 – Munich Film Festival
Special Mention

2010 – Ostrava Kamera Oko
Special Mention to Mátyás Erdély

2010 – Sarajevo Film Festival
Special Jury Award

2010 – Seville Film Festival
Special Jury Prize, Best Director of Photography Award: Mátyás Erdély

Festivals

2011 – Adelaide International Film Festival
2011 – Budapest Hungarian Film Week (in competition)
2011 – Copenhagen CPH:PIX
2011 – Edinburgh International Film Festival
2011 – Hong Kong International Film Festival
2011 – Linz Crossing Europe Film Festival
2011 – Luxembourg CinÉast
2011 – Palic International Film Festival
2011 – Rotterdam International Film Festival
2011 – Sofia International Film Festival
2011 – Trieste Film Festival (in competition)
2011 – Wroclaw New Horizons International Film Festival
2010 – Bratislava International Film Festival – Profiles
2010 – Cannes International Film Festival (in competition)
2010 – Ghent Flanders International Film Festival (in competition)
2010 – Jerusalem International Film Festival
2010 – Munich Film Festival
2010 – Ostrava Kamera Oko (in competition)
2010 – Philadelphia Film Festival
2010 – Riga Baltic Pearl
2010 – Rio de Janeiro IFF
2010 – Săo Paulo International Film Festival
2010 – Sarajevo Film Festival (in competition)
2010 – Seville Film Festival (in competition)
2010 – Toronto International Film Festival
2010 – Wroclaw New Horizons International Film Festival

Cast

Boy
Rudolf Frecska
Mother
Lili Monori
Director
Kornél Mundruczó
Girl
Kitty Csíkos
Father
Székely B. Miklós

Crew

Director
Kornél Mundruczó
Producers
Viktória Petrányi
Philippe Bober
Gábor Kovács
Gabriele Kranzelbinder
Susanne Marian
Sarah Nagel
Ági Pataki
Gábor Rajna
Gábor Sipos
Co-producer: ZDF/Arte
Alexander Bohr
Original Music by
Philipp Edward Kümpel
Andreas Moisa
Cinematographer
Mátyás Erdély
Editor
Dávid Jancsó
Casting
Timea Varkonyi
Production design
Márton Ágh
Set decoration
Ágnes Menyhárt
Costume design
János Breckl
Production Companies
Proton Cinema
Essential Filmproduktion GmbH (co-production)
Filmpartners (co-production)
KGP Kranzelbinder Gabriele Production (co-production)
Laokoon Filmgroup (co-production)