BACKGROUNDER:
History of the Masterclass

Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC and Laszlo Kovacs, ASC are native
Hungarians who were students at the Academy of Drama and
Film. They left their country in 1956 in the wake of a
revolt against the communist regime that was brutally
crushed by the Russian army. Zsigmond and Kovacs emigrated
to the United States, where they led a new wave of
influential filmmakers during the 1960s and '70s.
The Masterclass traces its roots to a promise Zsigmond and
his lifelong friend Tibor Vagyóczky, HSC made while they
were both students at the Academy during the mid-1950s.
Their guiding light was György Illés, HSC, a prominent
filmmaker and founder of the cinematography program at the
school. They promised Illes that someday they would help to
mentor the next generation of filmmakers.
When Zsigmond accepted an Oscar for Close Encounters of the
Third Kind in 1977, he thanked Illés and his other teachers.
His brief message was seen by tens of millions of people.
Vagyóczky says it was a source of hope and inspiration for
students and young filmmakers in Hungary and other Eastern
European countries.
Vagyóczky and Zsigmond began speaking about possible ways to
help young filmmakers during the late 1970s. In 1989 after
the collapse of the communist regime, the first Masterclass
was conducted. Zsigmond and Kovacs helped to plan the
program and shape the curriculum. They have subsequently
been unwavering supporters and frequent instructors at the
Masterclass, along with other world-class cinematographers,
including Billy Williams, BSC, Haskell Wexler, ASC and Dean
Cundey, ASC.
Kodak, through its Student Filmmaker Program, has been a
primary sponsor of the Masterclass since its earliest days.