ANGEL BUSINESS – documentary film (2019)
Angel Business is a documentary about the financial and personal challenges of becoming one of the first angel investors during the birth of Hungary’s startup era. Tony balances financial risk, market knowledge and his family’s health and happiness to reach his goal – to foster new ideas and help emerging entrepreneurs.
Director, cinematographer, producer
Zsuzsanna Gellér-Varga
Music composer, story editor
Balázs Wizner
Editor
Judit Feszt
BALÁZS WIZNER sociologist, documentary filmmaker, composer. He was a researcher at the Sociology Institute of the Hungarian Science Academy. As the managing director of Metaforum Film Studio he had produced documentaries and public service advertisements. Currently he is working as a video journalist for AFP and as a videographer for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Apart from directing and producing he composes music for theater performances and documentary films.
Selected films:
2012 Bosnia, Bosnia! (co-director/story editor, director: Gábor Péter Németh)
2012 Rocking the Nation (story editor, director: Borbála Kriza)
2005 Once They Were Neighbours (producer, director: Zsuzsanna Gellér-Varga)
Selected film music:
2018 Angel Business (director: Zsuzsanna Gellér-Varga)
2014 With Love, Jane (Jane Haining) (director: Gyula Krisztián Kormos)
2014 Portraits for the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (director: Réka Pigniczky)
2011 Kult_ur.hu – a documentary about György Aczél (director: Gyula Krisztián Kormos )
2006 Synagogue For Sale (director: Zsuzsanna Gellér-Varga)
2005 Once They Were Neighbours (director: Zsuzsanna Gellér-Varga)
JUDIT FESZT after finishing her studies in the School of Arts and Crafts in Spain, Granada worked as graphic designer and created various experimental short movies. Tile Mail, a documentary as co-director earned her the Best Documentary Award at the Hungarian Film Week in 2009. Since that she has participated in several documentaries, commercials and corporate movies as editor.
Selected works:
Carta Azulejo / Tile Mail – short documentary, director, editor – Duna Műhely 2008
Yad Hanna – The Collective Man – documentary, editor – Duna Műhely 2009
Eszembe jutottál – Főhajtás Cseh Tamás előtt – concert movie, editor – Duna TV 2010
Wonderful Gladiators – creative documentary, editor – HBO, New Angle Film 2011
Villa Forma – commercial, editor – Color Production – Brazil 2011
SANOFI – Nospa – corporate film, editor – Filmpartners 2012
Rickshaw Rush – documentary, editor – Duna Műhely 2012
MKB Bank – Korda Studio – multi screen presentation, editor – Filmpartners 2012
Trans River I-II – documentary, editor – Filmpartners 2015
Awards:
Best Documentary – Hungarian Film Week – Budapest, Hungary
Main Prize – International Super 8 Festival – Szeged, Hungary
Golden Dear prize, student prize – Dialektus – Budapest, Hungary
Main Prize – Alter Native – Tirgu Mures, Romania
Main Prize in experimental category, student price – Film.dok – Miercurea Ciuc, Romania
Best experimental documentary of the year – Critics’ Award – Budapest, Hungary
Best documentary film of 2013 – Hungarian Film Festival of Los Angeles – USA
Angel Business – final credits
We are deeply grateful to our protagonists for sharing their lives with us.
Featuring
Antal Károlyi
András Perényi
Bence Károlyi
Judit Oláh
Mili Károlyi
Zsófia Major
János Perényi
Judit Dombóvári
Csilla Dr. Vajdáné Kutas
Children at ELTE Special Methodology Pre-School
Erzsébet Simonyi
Viktor Déri
Viktória Rába
János Wisinger
Márk Kubatov
Péter Kádas
Viktória Miló
Ágnes Kurucz
István Károlyi
Istvánné Károlyi
Balázs Czotter
director, cinematographer, producer
Zsuzsanna Gellér-Varga
music composer, story editor
Balázs Wizner
additional camera
András Perényi
Andrea Miklós
Arun Battharai
Balázs Czotter
Dorottya Zurbó
Péter Krajcsovics
Tatiane Thompson
drone recording
Drone Media Studio
editor
Judit Feszt
sound post-production
Rudolf Várhegyi H.A.E.S.
Tamás Kreiner
colorist
Balázs Gotthárdi
post-production
4Cut Studio
story consultant
Éva Schulze
György Pálos
graphics
Bianka Parázs
Tamás Czuder
vfx
Árpád Hermán
interview transcriptions
Ágnes Varga
Andrea Hernádvölgyi
Ibolya Laki
translation
Réka Pigniczky
music recording-music producer
Chris Allan Tod
musicians
Ádám Móser – accordion
Balázs Wizner – trumpet, flugelhorn
Béla Ágoston – clarinet, tenor saxophone
János Mazura – tuba
Title song (“New bossa”) composer: Miklós Marton, instrumentation: Balázs Wizner
Link Band participated in the song “Florida”
Special thanks
Ágnes Frehr
Ágnes Hűvös (Megoldás Most)
András Muhi
Anna Kis
Attila Kékesi
Barnabás Málnay (MM Klaszter)
Beáta Tóth-Makra
Bojána Papp
Bori Kriza
Chris Brown
Dorota Roszkowska
Eszter Nordin
Éva Vajda
Gábor Dehelán (The Hub)
Gábor Péter Németh
Gábor Zsigmond Papp
György Martin Hajdú (Central-European Broker Educational Foundation)
Helga Progl
Ildikó Földes
Ildikó Szűcs, Dr.
Ilona Gaal
Imre Hild (iCatapult)
János Gellér
Janto Indrarto (Kazimir)
Jeremy Braverman
Karen Everett
Katalin Rosta (ELTE Special Methodology Pre-School)
Krisztián Vranik (Anker Klub)
Krisztina Meggyes
László Molnár (Drone Media Studio)
Leena Pasanen
Levente Pap
Levente Zsembery
Marianna Szabó (Central-European Broker Educational Foundation)
Márta Varga
Matthew Brunwasser
Misi and Samu Gellér
Moniek Wester-Keegstra
Mónika Safranka (iCatapult)
Paul Powells
Richárd Gellai (Megoldás Most)
Rita Balogh
Róbert Nagy, Dr.
Sára László
Sedika Mojadidi
Stefano Tealdi
Szabolcs Győrffy
Tamás Almási
Tamás Turcsán
Tom Ernst
Veronika Tomka
Xackery Irving
Zoltán Békés (Mr. Sale)
Zoltán Bruckner (iCatapult)
the Hungarian startup community
Supporters
Ágnes Kaposi
Bea Bedő
Csaba Zajdó
Gábor Kaposi
Giséle Kertai
Jason Regier
Kelly St.John Regier
Kelly Tran
Matt Needham
Péter Somosi
Péter Varga
Sara Needham
Sutapa Choudhury
Tamás Kertai
Tamás Otrok
Teodóra Bodó
Tibor Mózes
Zoltán Somogyi
Zsuzsi Somosi
Special supporters
Central-European Broker Educational Foundation
Ildikó Balogh
Viktor Szathmáry
Zoltán Schäffer
© 2019 Aromo Film Ltd
The filmmakers like to express their gratitude to their further contributors who supported the film’s post-production through the INDIEGOGO campaign:
(Hungarian names are in Family name, Surname order)
Anne Senges, Ariel Ducey, Bárdos Kristóf, Biró Nurila, Borissza Kitti, Czuder Tamás, Daniel Abel, Deborah Hoffmann, Dehelán Gábor, Dimity Gábor Borisz, Eichner Hanna, Elekes Ferenc, Farkas Zsolt, Fehérgyarmati-Tóth Károly, Ferenc Raj, Fogaras Dániel, Gall Cecilia, Gürtler Szilvia, György Anna, Halász Róbert, Harman Hoetink, Hegyes Katalin, Heidi Gronauer, Horgos Lénárd, Hugh Purcell, Huszák Loretta, Józsa László, Kádas Péter, Kaprinay Zoltán, Karafiáth Balázs László, Károlyi Antal, Károlyi Gergely, Klein Gábor, Klein Judit, Klein Sándor, Klein Ágnes, Kondor András, Kondor Judit, Langmár Péter, Leitner Zoltán, Lévai Balázs, Lévai Gábor, Lise Pieters, Loránd Imre, Lucija Stojevic, Major Zsófia, Málnay Barnabás, Manuela Maiguashca, Markó Alexandra, Molnár Gábor, Moniek Keegstra, Nádudvari Zoltán, Nagy Andrea, Nagy Dellemann Erika, Német G. Dániel, Nordin Eszter, Oksana Sarkisova, Orbán Sándor, Orbán Ágnes, Pátrovics Levente, Peter Klein, Pigniczky Réka, Progl Helga, Rajna Györgyi, Révész Judit, Rod Freedman, Roi Frey, Sajó András, Sallay András, Sara Maamouri, Schleer Tamás, Sessler Zoltán, Somosi Péter, Stacy Thompson, Szabó Márton, Szarvas Olivér, Szász György, Szemere Katalin, Szigeti Zsuzsanna, Tar-Ballai Éva, Tóth-Makra Beáta, Várfi Melinda, Varga Ágnes, Verő Mihály, Wohlmuth Máté, Záray Szilvia, Zubonyai Zoltán,
and for all those who supported the film anonymously
Synopsis
Angel Business is a documentary about the financial and personal challenges of becoming one of the first angel investors during the birth of Hungary’s startup era. The main character, Tony, balances financial risk, market knowledge and his family’s health and happiness to reach his goal – to foster new ideas and help emerging entrepreneurs.
Tony returned home to Hungary after burning out as a derivative trader for 15 years in Western Europe. As a self-taught “business angel” – using his own savings to invest in new companies – he wants to make a difference helping new talent and investing in startups. In the meantime, he tries to find new ways to communicate with his 7 year-old daughter who may never be able to speak …
The film follows one of his investments, a company called iLandGuide. Created by his business partner Andrew, who used to run his own advertising agency, it is a mobile app that acts as a tour guide for holiday islands. Soon after Tony’s initial investment, Andrew goes to the Caribbean Islands to train franchise partners in the region. Does Tony’s investment pay off? Was it worth risking his family’s stable financial future?
Through their story we get a glimpse of the startup world in Hungary – a tiny country full of innovation and technical expertise – as well as insight into the personal challenges and dilemmas of being a unique kind of modern businessman.
Angel Business is a feature-length observational, character-driven creative documentary filmed in Hungary, the U.S. and the Caribbean Islands for four years.
DIRECTOR’S MOTIVATION
I was looking for a subject that was exciting, hopeful and potentially attitude-shifting. Angel Business depicts an absolutely global phenomenon – shown through a local story. Our main character, Tony, links East and West, bringing back his experience of 15 years in Western European banking in order to steer Hungary and the region towards the rest of the Western world. His personal story – a compelling one – can have a positive influence on people’s anti-global and anti-capitalist sentiments in Eastern Europe.
Hungary’s greatest product has always been innovation and new ideas from talented people. Since the early 90s there have been countless great ideas that have died or been taken abroad due to lack of venture capital investment at home. In the past years Hungary has worked to become the Silicon Valley of Eastern Europe. At this moment, I feel this is one of the most important subjects for the region’s future. Not only the region, but the world’s economy depends on the enormous technological development that has taken place since the beginning of the 21st century.
The characters in Angel Business create value from nothing; they can generate work for many people and give them a chance to get started. A progressive, constructive and exciting human and business story with complex characters, conflicts and resolutions, I hope Angel Business will be inspiring for many.
Work-in-progress shots
Business angel at work
Maps – Andrew’s business travels
Press
Documentary about the Hungarian Start-up Fever’s Beginning
2021. 04. 27.
HVG.hu article about the film with an online screening option (the screening is for subscribers only in a curated documentary series)
HVG is Hungary’s biggest financial and cultural weekly magazin
The San Francisco Hungarian Film Festival had welcomed its audience for the 5th time
2018. Nov. 2-3.
Balázs Horváth’s article about the festival (In Hungarian – translation to come)
What makes someone to risk his wealth for an uncertain business?
2018. 04. 18.
24.hu’s article about the film (In Hungarian – translation to come)
Help to finish a Hungarian documentary about Hungarian startups!
2018. 04. 16.
Index.hu’s article about the crowdfunding campaign (In Hungarian – translation to come)
A documentary film is to be finished about the Hungarian startup world
2018. 04. 13.
Filmhu’s article about the crowdfunding campaign (In Hungarian – translation to come)
A film about the early years of the Hungarian startup era – A crowdfunding campaign for its completion
2018. 04. 11.
Forbes.hu’s article about the film (In Hungarian – translation to come)
Startup ecosystem in Hungary and a documentary film about its early years
An Israeli portal’s blog post about the Hungarian ecosystem and the film
Angel Business in production: “Does it take really that long to cut that film?”
2018. 03. 31.
Szilvia Gürtler’s blog post about the “female” point of view while making the film (In Hungarian – translation to come)
An independent view about the Hungarian startup-world – Do we want it?
2018. 03. 23.
Ágnes Hűvös’ blog post about the dilemmas of financing independent documentaires (In Hungarian – translation to come)
Events
Online screening of the film for subscribers in a curated documentary series (in Hungarian)
HVG is Hungary’s biggest financial and cultural weekly magazin
Startup Outdoor Cinema
Mosonmagyaróvár, 2020. Aug. 27th 8 pm – 11 pm
Screening and Q&A with the director and protagonists
Organized by INPUT Program
ASTRA FILM 26 – Sibiu International Film Festival 2019
The film was screened in competition in the Central&Eastern European section.
Dates: 2019. 10. 16. at 19:30 and 2019. 10. 18. at 18:00
Bronze Remi Award at the WorldFest Houston 52nd Annual International Independent Film Festival
Link to the festival’s award page
Angel Business film screening & round table discussion
2019. 05. 24. 17:30 – 20:00 Central European University, Auditorium “B”
Details about the event on Facebook
Entrepreneurs on the silver screen – film club
The screening is followed by a QA with Zsuzsanna Gellér-Varga and Antal Károlyi
2019. 04. 10. 18:00 Corvinus University, Faculty Club
Details about the event on Facebook
Public premier – BIDF (Budapest International Documentary Festival)
2019.01.30 18:00 Cinemay City Aréna
After the screening the director and the two main characters will be present for QA.
Startup Wednesday – Angel Busines VIP screening by STARTITUP Győr
Screening and QA with director, Antal Károlyi and András Perényi – 2018. Dec. 5th, Győr, Rómer Ház
Details about the event on Facebook
5th San Francisco Hungarian Film Festival – San Francisco, CA (USA)
Screening and QA with the director – 2018. Nov. 3rd. 11.45 am
Our INDIEGOGO campaign is over, but on the page you can find all the relevant information about the film’s post-production.
If you want to help raising awareness about Angel Business, it’s never too late.
- Like our Facebook page, and share it with your friends, so they can also learn about our news, get alerted about screenings, festival events!
- Share the link of our web page with your friends!
- If you can and want to contribute financially to help with the film’s outreach campaign, please donate via PayPal.
The film on Facebook
We are putting the film on our website publicly, because we want it to be seen by as many people as possible.
If you watched Angel Business and found it interesting, please help our further work with your contribution through PayPal or Venmo.
There is no set price for the film, you decide how much it’s worth for you. Thank you!
