Directing Actors in Atom Egoyan’s Practice

Masterclass

This September, the Hungarian film community will have a unique opportunity as we welcome Atom Egoyan director, writer, and producer to MOME, where he will hold an extraordinary masterclass on directing actors joined by Balázs Lengyel, showrunner of Hunyadi.

The masterclass, titled “Hidden Layers – Directing Actors in Atom Egoyan’s Practice,” will be a four-hour program focusing on trust and communication between director and actor. The majority of the program will explore the practical challenges of directing actors: how to start the collaboration, how to guide an actor who struggles to find the right emotional tone, and how to foster performances that feel instinctive and authentic.

Course Fee / Application

gross amount: 76.200. HUF

60 000 Ft + VAT

Application

Application deadline 2025-09-10
Start 2025-09-22

Curriculum

  1. Introduction –  (30 minutes)
  2. Directing Actors (120 minutes)
  3. Practical Exercise (60 minutes)
  4. Q&A (30 minutes)

Highlighted topics:

  • What does authenticity mean in Egoyan’s world?
  • Intimacy and distance – how do we work with actors to balance these two?

This Course Is for You If…

  • You are a student or an active professional in the film industry, or someone who’s interested in this field
  • You’re familiar with Egoyan’s work and would like to gain insight into his way of creating emotional realism.
  • You would like to see how a director leads the actors in a live scene, in front of the audience, and ask questions from him directly

This Course Might Not Be for You If…

  • You’re not interested in the film industry or Atom Egoyan’s work

What will you learn?

The first part of the masterclass will be a conversation with Egoyan, exploring the following topics:

  • What does it mean to direct actors? How do we begin?
  • How do we communicate with an actor when they don’t understand or feel what we’re asking—or when they understand intellectually, but the emotional effect still isn’t there?
  • What techniques can help an actor let go of control and create instinctive, spontaneous moments?
  • When should we give precise direction, and when is it better to let the actor find their own way?
  • How do we build trust with an actor, especially when working under tight shooting schedules?
  • What should we do if an actor is performing too technically?
  • How can we shoot an intimate scene in a way that feels authentic?
    How can the director support the actor when scenes are shot out of chronological order?

In the second half of the class, Atom Egoyan stages a scene from one of his earlier films with the help of the participants, illustrating his approach to directing actors and managing movement (of actors and camera).

The program concludes with a Q&A session, where attendees will have the chance to ask Egoyan questions directly.

Please note that the masterclass will be in English.

 

Schedule

Duration: 4 hours (with short breaks)

Date: 22nd September, 2025

Timing: 17:00-21:00

Location:
MOME Campus
1121 Budapest, Zugligeti út 9-25

Speaker

Atom Egoyan

Atom Egoyan is an acclaimed Canadian filmmaker of Armenian descent, known for his unique narrative style and exploration of themes such as memory, identity, and loss. Born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1960, he moved to Canada at a young age. Egoyan gained international recognition with his 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter, which earned two Academy Award nominations. His other notable works include Exotica (1994), Ararat (2002), Chloe (2009), and most recetly Seven Veils (2023). In addition to film, Egoyan has also directed operas and stage productions, cementing his reputation as one of Canada’s most innovative and influential directors.

Moderator

Balázs Lengyel

He studied screenwriting at the Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam, directing at the London Film Academy, and aesthetics and film theory at ELTE University in Budapest.

His body of work includes feature films, television series, short films, and animation projects. He was the lead writer on Aranyélet (Golden Life), an HBO Hungary series that achieved both critical acclaim and popular success, setting a new standard in Hungarian television. As a screenwriter, he contributed to the creation of Kojot, Ravine, and Three Thousand Numbered Pieces, while his directorial success includes Lajkó – Gypsy in Space.

He is the head writer, director, and showrunner of Hunyadi, the most successful Hungarian television series of recent years. His work is characterized by social sensitivity, deep character development, and internationally competitive storytelling. This fall, he will be leading the Showrunner course at MOME Open.

Special offer

In case you’re interested in this masterclass, and also would like to participate in our Showrunner course starting in November, we have a special discount for you:

If you apply for the Showrunner course after this masterclass, the price of the masterclass (gross 76.200 HUF) will be deducted from the price of the Showrunner course.

Application