In 2012, you had a part in the pilot for an early version of 'Sunset'. What was this first collaboration like?

As far as I can remember that particular day when that scene was shot, and when I think of the shooting of 'Son of Saul', which for me only took one day, and how it was to work together for so many days when shooting 'Sunset'—this has been a wellrounded experience for me. The reason why it is so good to work with László is that he has a certain quality which makes you trust him in an incredibly deep way—trust his decisions, his instructions. For me as an actor it is a very pleasant memory, and I'm very happy that it continued this way.

Has success changed László in any way?

My relationship with László is a professional one, with long gaps. What I can see is how he acts as a director, and what his presence is like at a shooting. He is the type of person who gives himself over to the project he is working on one thousand per cent, almost maniacally. I think this prevents him from focusing on himself in a different way. A person who is this dedicated is probably less likely to be affected by success, and his personality won't be distorted by it. The person I have always known has remained the same.

Juli Jakab in 'Sunset' (Source: Laokoon Filmgroup)

How did you find out that you had been chosen for the part of Irisz?

They asked me to go to the office where the casting had taken place. I had the feeling that everyone knew that this was an important moment. It was a very touching situation. Primarily for me, of course, but it was very moving to see that the others were emotional about it, too.

When it was announced that you'd be the protagonist, did you believe that your secrets were interesting enough to be explored through such a monumental film?

At that point I wasn't thinking about that anymore. The casting lasted for almost a year for me. During this period, we had regular meetings, and I was working a lot together with László. Once we got there, for me, this has become a practical challenge, one of the greatest tasks of my life. Obviously, I realised the scope of the production but I also understood that if I focused on this every day, it would distract my attention from the important things. To me, it was the pinnacle of the job that László decided that I should be Irisz Leiter. If I hadn't trusted him that he knew what he was doing, I wouldn't have been able to concentrate on everything else–the real part of the work.

As a graduate dramaturg, did you consider the script critically?

Even if László expresses that he is in the middle of a decision process, it is obvious that he will bring the decision following his good instincts. He radiates a certain trust with which it is very easy to go along, for the cast and crew alike. And from there, it becomes authentic. This is one of the reasons why I didn't question the details of the script or his instructions as a director. The other reason is an attitude towards filmmaking. There are filmmakers who build on spontaneity, while others strive to understand the world they create to its utmost depths, and who want to know what's exactly where in it. László, naturally, is the latter.

What were the most interesting things you learnt about the era while you were preparing for the part?

I gained a lot of practical knowledge of various things like etiquette, millinery or dancing. Apart from these, what I found useful was finding out things like, for example, how different the walking pace was at that time. It is interesting to know which knife to use for which course, but to me, it is much more meaningful to know how people didn't let their emotions or temporary conditions show. There were a lot of rules which we might regard today as uncomfortable or unpleasant, but these served the ideal and beautiful way of life we also wanted to create.

Vlad Ivanov is an internationally acclaimed actor. People often use boxing terminology to describe the interaction of two actors in front of the camera: 'knocking out the other one', 'acting circles around one's opponent', etc. Were you anxious about working with him?

I didn't have time to be worried: during the casting, there was a moment where we were suddenly facing each other. Moreover, we were rehearsing an extremely tense scene for almost an hour, where both characters have more than one intense turning points. During this hour I discovered two extremes about Vlad: he is a fantastic actor who can focus his energies in an incredible way, and, if needed, he has the most frightening stare. In reality, he is an amazingly kind person and he has a great sense of humour. He never indicated that he had any problems with me being, so to speak, an amateur. He was always very supportive towards me, and soon we developed a very close relationship.

László has said that there are certain points of connection between 'Son of Saul' and 'Sunset'. Has it ever occurred to you that Irisz could just as well be the mother of Ella, the girl you played in 'Son of Saul'?

I didn't think of such concrete family connections, but I had the strong sensation that we were not moving among historical cardboard figures, but among people who are just like me, sitting at this dining table today, only they lived one hundred years ago.

Mood photo of Juli Jakab before the shooting of 'Sunset' (Photo: Mátyás Erdély / Laokoon Filmgroup)

What was it like to watch the film for the first time?

It was a fantastic experience. I had been waiting for it for nine months, and thought about it every day what it would be like to watch the completed film. During the shooting I was busy concentrating on my own job. I had a sense of the set design, of course, and of the overall concept of photography. But I had not watched any of the material, and so the thing that interested me the most was how this enormous work would look, what these wonderful pictures would be like. And it overwhelmed me.

The #metoo and Time's Up! movements were born right after the shooting of 'Sunset'. Many people will probably watch the film through this new filter. Do you think that such an interpretation might be legitimate?

I always observed the character of Irisz as a human being, and tried to figure her out as a human being. For me, her story— even with her vulnerability and helplessness—is primarily about human behaviour, and not about her embracing her femaleness. Whether we are able to create a society or not where women can live in safety is a question going back centuries, even millennia, which never loses its validity. Each time, when a step is taken towards this—whether it is the suffragettes or the #metoo movement—it is a step to be welcomed and supported.

Do you actively seek new opportunities as an actress?

So far, I have been lucky. Those things that needed to find me, found me. Or we found each other. I trust that this will remain the same in the future.

(The interview was made for hvg.hu)

Ferenc Varga