As a child , Szabó wanted to be a doctor like his father . By the age of 16 , however , he had been inspired by a book by Hungarian film theorist Béla Balázs to become a film director . Upon graduation from high school , he became one of 11 applicants out of 800 who were admitted to the Academy of Theatrical and Cinematic Arts . At the Academy , he studied with the famous director Félix Máriássy , who became something of a father figure to Szabó . Among his classmates were Judit Elek , Zsolt Kézdi-Kovács , Janos Rozsa , Pál Gábor , Imre Gyöngyössy , Ferenc Kardos , and Zoltán Huszárik . While at the Academy , Szabó directed several short films , culminating in his thesis film , '' Koncert '' ( 1963 ) , which won a prize at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen . Thanks to János Herskó , head of the Hunnia Film Studio at which he apprenticed , Szabó was given his first opportunity to direct a feature film at the age of 25 , rather than being required to spend ten years working as an assistant director
International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
István Szabó