Born in Budapest in 1958. Graduated from the University of Theatre and Film Art Budapest as a script-editor in 1982, and as a director in 1986. Also worked regularly for television and for theatre as a stage director.
Member of the European Film Academy, member of the Directors Guild of America.

Director of the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard, Cambridge, MA (2001-2003). Faculty member of the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard, Cambridge, MA.

Lecturer at the University of Theatre and Film Art, Budapest in film direction; also tutor at the acting masterclass.

Selected filmography:

2017
The Butcher, the Whore and the One-eyed Man / A hentes, a kurva és a félszemű – feature

2013
The Notebook / Le Grand Cahier / A nagy füzet – feature 

• Academy Awards Shortlisted – US Distributor: Sony Pictures Classic
• Karlovy Vary IFF: Grand Prix – Crystal Globe, Europa Cinemas Label 
• Chicago IFF: Jury Special Mention (Piroska Molnár)
• Les Arcs European Film Festival: Young Jury Prize
• Haiga Film Festival: Special Mention
• Hungarian Film Festival in Los Angeles: Best Film, Best Actress (Piroska Molnár), Best Actors (András Gyémánt and László Gyémánt)

2007
Opium – Diary of a Madwoman / Ópium – Egy elmebeteg nő naplója – feature

• Hungarian Film Week: Best Director, Best Cinematography (Tibor Máthé), Best Sound Prize, Foreign Critics’ Gene Moskowitz Prize
• Moscow IFF: Best Female Interpretation: Kirsti Stuboe
• Fantasporto: Best Feature Film's Manoel de Oliveira Award, Best Actress: Kirsti Stubo

2002
Eyes of the Holocaust (part of Broken Silence series) – documentary

Producer: James Mall, Executive producer: Steven Spielberg

1998
The Funeral / Temetés – short

• Kraków Film Festival: Special Prize of the Jury
• Antalya IFF: Golden Orange for Best Short

1997
The Witman Boys / Witman fiúk – feature

• Hungarian Film Week: Best Cinematography (Tibor Máthé), Foreign Critics’ Gene Moskowitz Prize
• Cannes Official Selection „Un Certain Regard”
• Hungarian Entry for the Academy Awards
• Moscow IFF: Best Director, FIPRESCI Prize
• Ghent Film Festival: Grand Prix, Brussels L’Age d’Or
• Chicago IFF: Silver Hugo
• Tromso Film Festival: Main Prize, Audience Prize

1994
Woyzeck– feature

• European Film Academy: Felix Prize - Best Young European Film
• Hungarian Entry for the Academy Awards
• Hungarian Film Week: Grand Prix, Best Cinematography (Tibor Máthé), Best Actor (Lajos Kovács), Foreign Critics’ Gene Moskowitz Prize
• Independent Producers’ Prize
• Chicago IFF: Golden Plaque
• Strassbourg Film Festival: Grand Prix
• Thessaloniki IFF: Best Director, Best Actor (Lajos Kovács)
• Bergamo: Silver Rose
• Sotchi: FIPRESCI Prize
• Valladolid IFF: Best Cinematography
• Camerimage Festival: Golden Frog to Tibor Máthé

1990
Don’t Disturb! – feature

• Moscow IFF: Certificate of Merit
• Bogotá IFF: Best Director
• Bratislava IFF: Best Foreign Film