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István Szőts

1912 – 1998

Hungarian screenwriter and film director

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About István Szőts

Lived 1912 – 1998 (aged 86). István Szőts was a Hungarian film director, screenwriter and director, known for People of the Mountains.

István Szőts (June 30, 1912 – November 6, 1998) was a Hungarian screenwriter and film director. He was born in Szentgyörgyválya (now Valea Sângeorgiului, Călan, Romania), and later moved with his father to Hungary. Szőts studied fine arts at the painting school of the two masters, Vilmos Aba-Novák and Béla Iványi-Grünwald. In 1939 he worked at Hunnia, where he was assistant to director Lajos Zilahy.

Activity He is best known for his 1942 film People of the Mountains which won first prize at the Venice Biennale. Szőts became an assistant director in 1940, and in 1942 made his first feature film People of the Mountains. Although widely acclaimed by critics, it was disapproved of by Hungary's ruling wartime government and Szőts had trouble securing backing for his future projects. It wasn't until 1947 that he was able to make his second feature film Song of the Cornfields.

Selected filmography People of the Mountains (1942) Loving Hearts (1944) Song of the Cornfields (1947) Melyiket a kilenc közül? (1956)

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Known for
People of the Mountains
Awards
Kossuth Prize; Hungarian Heritage Award

People in István Szőts's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped István Szőts's

Frequently asked questions

Who was István Szőts?

Hungarian screenwriter and film director (1912-1998)

When was István Szőts born?

István Szőts was born on 30 June 1912 in Valea Sângeorgiului.

When did István Szőts die?

István Szőts died on 6 November 1998 in Vienna.

What was István Szőts's occupation?

István Szőts was a film director, screenwriter and director.

What was István Szőts known for?

István Szőts was known for People of the Mountains.

What nationality was István Szőts?

István Szőts was Hungarian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: István Szőts

· Wikidata: Q722844

· DBpedia: István Szőts

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). István Szőts. https://biography.guide/istvan-szots/

MLA: "István Szőts." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/istvan-szots/.

Chicago: "István Szőts." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/istvan-szots/.

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