This TV drama with lots of humour tells the story of three Budapest taxi drivers known as „hyenas” as they overcharge passengers travelling from the airport. Its protagonists are ordinary people who are both lovable and selfish at the same time, and who are not affraid to rip off their passengers.
„From several perspectives, the story plays with the idea of what happens when small frauds and lies become part of our daily routine and seep into our friendships, marriages, and relationships. It deals with multiple shades of lies: cheating and deception, betrayal and self-justification, all in a dynamic story with dark humour. For my first film I wanted to tell the story of complex, complicated characters who have a long way to go through. It will be an actor and character-centered film with dense dialogues and a very strong emphasis on acting”, says Ádám Freund in a statement.
The main roles are played by Emőke Pál, Roland Rába, Gábor Ferenczi and Raul Ionescu.
Hyenas is produced by Petra Iványi of Lupa Pictures and supported by the National Film Institute – Hungary (NFI). The budget is 1.376 m EUR / 542 m HUF.
The 33-days shooting was launched on 12 September 2024 and it takes place in Budapest, at well-known spots including Heroes’s Square, Ferenc Puskás Stadium and Downtown Budapest (5th district), as well as in flats, hospitals and at petrol stations. Additionally, some of the scenes will be using virtual stages and LED-walls.
The film is expected to be finished by the end of 2025.
Ádám Freund’s 2017 short film Earthly People / Földiek was nominated for the Student Academy Award and won the top prize of the Friss Hús Budapest International Short Film Festival.
Production Information:
Producer:
Lupa Pictures (Hungary)
Credits:
Director: Ádám Freund
Scriptwriter: Ádám Freund
Co-writer: Iván Szabó
DoP: Mátyás Gyuricza
Editor: Gábor Keresztes
Production designer: Virág Tyekvicska
Composer: Gábor Keresztes
Cast: Raul Ionescu, Emőke Pál, Gábor Ferenczi, Roland Rába, Ildikó Tóth, Bence Balogh, Tamás Jordán
