HBO Europe is launching an eight-part spy drama set in Hungary on April 1, 2022, and just dropped its first trailer. The show, titled The Informant, is produced by Anna Závorszky for HBO Europe and Viktória Petrányi for Proton Cinema. The series, which was created, written, and co-directed by Bálint Szentgyörgyi, had its premiere at the Geneva International Film Festival.
The Informant has nothing to do with the gloomy, stereotypical European show you would expect. It is a piece of rich Hungarian history, filled with vibrant colors and much humor. The show sweeps you away with its fast pace and unusually youthful tone. HBO Max premieres The Informant on April 1st with two episodes. The remaining six will roll out weekly. The show will be launched globally on all HBO Max platforms in the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
‘Til the System Do Us Part
It is 1985, and we are behind the Iron Curtain. Geri (Gergely Váradi), a newly arrived country boy in Budapest, is just about to start his studies at the University of Economics. Geri’s heart is filled with anticipation for all the adventures awaiting him in the big city. He enjoys meeting pretty girls, partying from sunset to sunrise, and even joins a group of democratic opposition activists, enemies of the Communist system.
The radicals are led by Száva (Márton Patkos), an uncompromising and magnetic figure who soon becomes Geri’s closest friend. But Geri has a larger-than-life secret. He is an informant of the totalitarian regime. In order to save his brother, he has to spy on his new friends to the State Security Department. The hero of our story is tightly cornered. If he wants to keep his seriously ill younger brother alive, he needs the medication provided by the state. “‘Til the System Do Us Part” reads the slogan of the show, which foreshadows many of the inner and outer struggles Geri has to deal with. Which side is he really standing on? How can he juggle wild parties, studies, friends, family, and politics? How can he “run” two separate identities? How can he live a second life as a government informant?
The Informant is very different from spy stories such as the action-packed Cold War movie Atomic Blonde, the sleek character drama The Courier, or the slowly unfolding hyper elegant adaptations of the late John Le Carré (The Night Manager, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). The Informant has a uniquely light tone, and there is an innocent vibe to it, unlike most espionage thrillers. Nevertheless, this light-heartedness is only there to temporarily ease the tension, to distract us – and the central characters – from the life and death matters that tie the story together.
Being a High Achiever Pays Off
The story was written by Bálint Szentgyörgyi, who also directs alongside Áron Mátyássy and Bence Miklauzic. Szentgyörgyi wrote, directed, and produced the first episode of The Informant with his own money and friends. Led by high ambitions, he then called HBO Europe, showed some executives the pilot, waited for two months – he used this time wisely and wrote the rest of the episodes – and got the good news about the show getting picked up for full season. Five years have passed since that call, and this spring, The Informant will be available to HBO subscribers in 61 countries, even with English and Spanish dubbing. The miniseries was shot entirely in Budapest, consists of eight episodes, and is built on fierce creativity and utmost passion.
Writer-director Balint Szentgyorgyi told the Budapest Reporter:
“As soon as we read Bálint Szentgyörgyi’s pilot script, we were hooked on The Informant,” Johnathan Young, executive producer at HBO Europe, said. “The opportunity to revisit a well-known period in Hungary’s history with fresh eyes and vivid young characters was too good to miss.” He adds, “We hope our show will surprise the audience as well as entertain. This is not the grim ’80s as is sometimes portrayed. Our characters are determined to make the most of their lives and are embracing every opportunity with warmth and looking forward to the future with optimism.”
The series was produced by HBO Europe’s Anna Závorszky and Viktória Petrányi (White God) for Proton Cinema. Proton Cinema will also contribute productions services to the series. Executive producers for HBO Max are Camilla Curtis and Jonathan Young. HBO Europe’s producer Anna Závorszky added: “We are collaborating with an outstanding creative team to make this youthful, daring series which focuses on a still-controversial period of our history. We trust that it will serve as gripping entertainment for several generations.”
The series stars Gergely Váradi (Guerilla, Black Goat), Márton Patkós (Sunset), Júlia Szász (The Teacher) ,Abigél Szőke (Those Who Remained) and Szabolcs Thuróczy (Golden Life). The principal cinematographer is Péter Szatmári (Kincsem – Bet on Revenge, Liza the Fox-Fairy) the production designer is Imola Láng (On Body and Soul, In Treatment).
