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Lecture

Professor David Peimer
The Extraordinary Life and Films of the Jewish Hungarian Director: István Szabó

Saturday 18.07.2026

How to watch

This lecture starts on 18 July at 5:00pm (UK).

Summary

Szabó (b. 1938) survived the Holocaust by hiding at an orphanage. His astonishing film Sunshine (1999) delves into questions of identity, history, and societal betrayal in a sweeping, multigenerational epic following a Hungarian-Jewish family across the 20th century. His Oscar-winning film Mephisto (1981) focuses on a German actor who comically yet tragically sacrifices his morals to the Nazi regime for fame. Join us as we explore the remarkable life and work of this world-renowned director.

Professor David Peimer

An image of David Peimer
David Peimer is a Professor of Literature, Film and Theatre in the UK. He has worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, New York University (Global Division) and was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Born in South Africa, David has won numerous awards for playwriting and directing. He has most recently directed Dame Janet Suzman in his own play, Joanna’s Story, at London Jewish Book Week. He has published numerous books, including Armed Response: Plays from South Africa and the digital book Theatre in the Camps. He is on the board of the Pinter Centre (London), and has been involved with the Mandela Foundation, Vaclav Havel Foundation and directed a range of plays at Mr Havel’s Prague theatre.