From Monday afternoon’s tribute to the late, great cinematographer: Dennis Hopper said, “Laszlo was the greatest telephoto operator I know of. He was a great cinematographer. His lighting was quick, fast, and complete. We shot Easy Rider in five weeks going through and shooting in five different states. We used a fast film that had not been used before in feature movies. I would never have been able to make Easy Rider without Laszlo and Paul Lewis, my production ,anager who brought Mr. Kovacs to me. He said, “This is your man”, and he certainly was. My vision for Easy Rider and The Last Movie , both shot by Laszlo, were simple, but very complicated. Since I was starring and directing in both films, hand signals were the way we communicated. That’s how in the same groove we were. A wonderful, charming, hard-working genius. We are all lucky to have been his friend. He will not be missed, but will be with us forever through his films and our collective memory. GOD BLESS LASZLO KOVACS!” And Peter Bogdanovich: “Laszlo Kovacs and I did seven pictures together, more than I did with any other cinematographer, and the reason is simple: Laszlo was the most versatile director of photography. He could do anything and he did it with ease and charm and a kind of gracious intensity. It was enormously easy to work with him and always a lot of fun. When I did pictures without him, I always missed him. I miss him now. He was the best.” [More at the jump; A brisk backgrounder on Kovacs is here; a photograph from the event Vilmos Zsigmond cinematographer, Audrey Kovács, wife of the late László Kovács, The Honorable Consul General of Hungary in Los Angeles, Ambassador Balázs Bokor, Nadia, the daughter of László Kovács, here.]

PRESS STATEMENT
OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY
IN LOS ANGELES
ON THE FILM SEMINAR „IN MEMORY OF LÁSZLÓ KOVÁCS”
The Consulate General of Hungary in Los Angeles organized today a film seminar „In memory of László Kovács” at the Chaplin Theatre of the Raleigh Studios in Hollywood.
The event paid tribute to the life achievment of the great Hungarian American cinematographer who died last July.
A 20 minutes film on the life of László Kovács „Master and the disciples” (directed by Csaba Káel, produced by Béla Bunyik) has been screened.
Synopsis
Conversations about the art of cinematography probably began at the birth of film. Interestingly, however, very few of these professional discussions have been recorded onto film, due to cinematographers’ camera shy behavior. In fact, the public knows very little about the art itself and its prominent ambassadors. Included among this „obscure” group is the internationally renowned school headed by György Illés, the grand master, regarding whom few outside the inner circle know anything. Our six-part series focuses on ”Papi” Illés (or Uncle Gyuri to some) through interviews with his five world famous pupils: Vilmos Zsigmond, László Kovács, Sándor Sára, Lajos Koltai and Elemér Ragályi – reminiscing with three directors: Gyula Gazdag, János Szász, and Csaba Káel. These conversations remain unfinished as György Illés and László Kovács are no longer with us, leaving only their body of work for us, while the rest will hopefully be able to continueou joint endeavor.
Ambassador Balázs Bokor, Consul General of Hungary delivered a speech below.
WORDS OF TRIBUTE
BY THE HONORABLE CONSUL GENERAL OF HUNGARY IN LOS ANGELES
AMBASSADOR BALÁZS BOKOR
IN MEMORY OF LÁSZLÓ KOVÁCS
We have lost a great cinematographer in July. There was a long-long road, László Kovács went on. Since 1933 – a small village not far from the capital of Hungary, till 2007 – Beverly Hills. Kovács – the great cinematographer was a witness. A witness of the 1956 revolution in Hungary, the 51st anniversary of which we are going to celebrate on October 23. It was a milestone of the Hungarian history bloodily pushed down by the Soviet tanks. He did not plan to escape from Hungary, he and his friend, Vilmos Zsigmond left the country rescuing the very precious film made by them about the revolutionary events. He put his fingerprint on the history of filmmaking for ever, here, in the United States. He was, what we call, a Hungarian American. He had brought with himself the Hungarian skill from his homeland and the knowledge of art from his master. He joined even in his life the pantheon of world famous American film people, among them quite a lot of Hungarians, like some of the founding fathers of Hollywood. The Consulate General of the Republic of Hungary is aware of the fact that a real great Hungarian has left us. László Kovács gave an example to all of us, how to preserve his original Hungarian identity, to keep the roots, not to forget where he had come from, and still to be in service of his new homeland. I feel that we simply have the obligation to keep the memory of this great Hungarian American alive, to pay a continuous tribute to him, to his life achievement. We are proud of him and we try in this modest way to contribute to raising László Kovács`s flag high. As far as I am concerned, my acquaintance with the art of Kovács goes back to 1971. That was the year when the 1969 year film, the Easy Rider was screened in Hungary. Being a teenager that time, I remember well, me and my friends lined up in a cue in front of the ticket office of a cinema in a small town at the famous Lake of Balaton to get in to the screening. This film gave a unique glance for the young generation of the that-time communist Hungary at a different way of life. The song „Born to be wild” had become a constant tune for our whistling that time.
Standing here, today, I am sure that the memory of László Kovács, the great cinematopgrapher and a great man, will be an everlasting memory staying with all of us.
I am particularly happy to note that the 2008 American Society of Cinematographers Student Awards will be known as Laszlo Kovacs Student Heritage Awards, in his honor.
Vilmos ZSIGMOND, Oscar Winner Cinematographer, a life-long good friend of László Kovács, Bob FISHER, Journalist on Cinema, Steven LIGHTHILL, Senior Filmmaker in Residence in AFI, Michael NEWPORT, Manager – Raleigh Film, Gyula GAZDAG, Filmmaker, UCLA Professor, Gábor KÁLMÁN, USC Professor, Béla BUNYIK, Founder and President of the Hungarian Film Festival in Los Angeles, Róbert GYŐRI, President of the William Fox Film Club, Attila BOKOR, Filmdirector, Director of „56 Drops of Blood” spoke on their personal experience with LÁSZLÓ KOVÁCS, on his life achievment and on Hungarian-American film cooperation.
The personal messages of Dennis Hopper and Peter Bogdanovich specially sent to this occasion were read.
TRIBUTE TO LASZLO KOVACS
FROM DENNIS HOPPER
Laszlo was the greatest telephoto operator, I know of. He was a great cinematographer. His lighting was quick, fast, and complete. We shot EASY RIDER in 5 weeks going through and shooting in 5 different states. We used a fast film that had not been used before in feature movies. I would never have been able to make EASY RIDER without Laszlo and Paul Lewis, my Production Manager who brought Mr. Kovacs to me. He said, “this is your man”, and he certainly was. My vision for EASY RIDER and THE LAST MOVIE, both shot by Laszlo, were simple, but very complicated. Since I was starring and directing in both films, hand signals were the way we communicated. That’s how in the same groove we were. A wonderful, charming, hard-working genius. We are all lucky to have been his friend. He will not be missed, but will be with us forever through his films and our collective memory.
GOD BLESS LASZLO KOVACS!
TRIBUTE TO LASZLO KOVACS
FROM PETER BOGDANOVICH
Laszlo Kovacs and I did seven pictures together, more than I did with any other cinematographer, and the reason is simple: Laszlo was the most versatile director of photography. He could do anything and he did it with ease and charm and a kind of gracious intensity. It was enormously easy to work with him and always a lot of fun. When I did pictures without him, I always missed him. I miss him now. He was the best.
The wife of the late László Kovács, Audrey Kovács greeted the audience at the end of the seminar thanking for paying their tribute to her late husband.
The seminar was hosted by Raleigh Studios. As the longest continuously operating studio in the country, Raleigh Studios has played a central role in creating and supporting the modern entertainment industry. Over the years, the studio has thrived because of its commitment to providing both the highest levels of studio service and the most advanced production technology. Together, Raleigh`s entertainment companies comprise the largest independent studio and production support operation in the Nation.
In 1915, Raleigh`s Hollywood studio commenced operations as Famous Players Fiction Studios, with a Mary Pickford production – one of the first features to be filmed on this historic Hollywood lot.
The Raleigh`s entertainment group has seen many changes over the years, but one thing has remained constant, its commitment to assisting visionary leaders in film, television and commercial production make their dreams a reality. Raleigh`s long operating history and role, as a leader in production services, studio development and management speaks to its capabilities and commitment to the entertainment industry.
Raleigh Film, Budapest – Hungary, a complete motion picture production service company was started in 2007 to service the needs of the clients filming in Europe. It is a pre-cursor to Raleigh`s lighting and studio operations that will be developed in 2008. Budapest will headquarter Raleigh Film and serve as Raleigh`s European base of operations.

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