Loránd Balázs Imre is a communications expert turned filmmaker, holding an MA in journalism (2008). He co-founded SpeakEasy Project (2008), a boutique film production company in Budapest. He is one of the creators of the Erasmus EuroMedia Award-winning documentary series Leave/Stay (2014), and other SpeakEasy feature docs. Since 2016, Loránd has been based in Berlin, where he works as a freelance cameraman and videographer and produces motion picture products under his own brand, filmDOUGH Productions. An interview with him, now selected for the 2025 Emerging Producers programme (read his EP profile here).

(L'articolo continua qui sotto - Inf. pubblicitaria)

Why do you produce documentaries? Do you see documentary cinema as an instrument of social and political change?
Loránd Balázs Imre: For me, making documentaries is an act of engagement – an attempt to make sense of the world and contribute to the communities I come from and belong to. It’s not just about storytelling; it’s about revealing what often remains unseen or unspoken. I see filmmaking as a responsibility, a way to document history as it unfolds, to challenge power and to amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard.

I don’t believe a film alone changes the world, but I do believe it has the power to plant seeds, shift perspectives, and become part of a larger movement. It can spark discourse, provide new ways of understanding, and influence those who do have the power to enact real change. A documentary doesn’t have to be didactic or overtly political to be impactful – sometimes, the most powerful thing it can do is remind people of their own agency.

How do you achieve and maintain work-life balance and foster overall well-being?
The idea of work-life balance is mostly an illusion. The stories I pursue demand full immersion – there’s no clear boundary between life and work when you’re deeply invested. It is also true that documentary filmmaking is more of a responsibility for me currently than a livelihood. To sustain it, I take on commercial projects, crafting moving images that pay the bills while keeping my creative instincts sharp.

At the same time, I’ve learned that endurance is key. No film is worth complete burnout. I try to be conscious of when to push forward and when to step back, refuel, and regain perspective. I also remind myself that while I engage in documenting other people’s realities, I must also stay present in my own.

Where do you find audiences for your films?
My films start with specific communities directly impacted by their subjects. Whether it’s journalists fighting for press freedom, families dealing with loss, or soldiers facing psychological wounds of war, each film has an immediate audience.

But I also aim for a wider reach. These stories don’t exist in isolation – they reflect broader struggles that are relevant far beyond their specific context. Festivals are important for visibility, but I also see impact-driven screenings – through NGOs, universities, and activist networks – as crucial to connect the films with audiences who can take something meaningful from them.

What projects do you have underway?
I’m currently working on three documentary films, each demanding a different approach but all rooted in my commitment to telling stories that challenge, provoke, and stay with the audience.

80 Angry Journalists, directed by András Földes, film traces the collapse of press freedom in a so-called democracy, following journalists who risk everything to hold power accountable. A Bee In My Mouth, directed by myself, explores personal loss and grief, using a deeply intimate story, my own, to illuminate a broader emotional landscape. And The Forest Glade, directed by Oksana Savoskina, confronts the unseen psychological toll of war, centering on soldiers navigating the mental battlefield while briefly away from the front lines in Ukraine.

Each of these films reflects a different facet of the human experience – resilience, vulnerability, survival – and my goal is to craft them into narratives that don’t just inform but also resonate, long after the screen goes dark.

It is important to mention that none of these films are fully financed yet, so beyond the creative and logistical challenges, there’s always the added pressure of securing funds to complete them. But I believe in them, and I’m committed to seeing them through.

----------

EMERGING PRODUCERS is a leading promotional and educational project, which brings together talented European documentary film producers. The programme is organised and curated by the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.

Deadline for applications to the EMERGING PRODUCERS 2026 edition is 31 March 2025.