MOVIE NEWS – Árpád Sopsits, the acclaimed Hungarian director and Balázs Béla Award winner, has passed away at the age of 73. His work includes iconic films such as Strangled, Légyfogó, and The Seventh Circle.

Árpád Sopsits, an influential Hungarian filmmaker and screenwriter, has died at the age of 73 after battling a long illness. The Hungarian Filmmakers’ Association confirmed his passing.

Born on May 2, 1952, in Szeged, he started his studies at the University of Debrecen before moving on to the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest, where he studied under Károly Makk. He initially worked at the Institute of Philosophy at Semmelweis University before transitioning to a career in film as a screenwriter and later a director at Mafilm.

Over the years, he collaborated with several major theaters, including the Budapesti Kamaraszínház, Gyulai Várszínház, Új Színház, Szabadkai Népszínház, Nemzeti Színház, Merlin Színház, Vígszínház, and the Szekszárdi Német Színház.

His debut feature film, Shooting Gallery, was released in 1989. He went on to direct notable films such as Video Blues (1992), Fear and Trembling (1994), Fly Trap (1998), and The Seventh Circle (2008). His psychological thriller Strangled, based on true events, was widely acclaimed and later adapted into a series. His final film, Supporting Actors, was released in 2023.

Sopsits received multiple awards throughout his career, including three Hungarian Film Festival honors. In 2017, he was awarded Best Director at the Hungarian Film Week for Strangled.

In late 2023, he underwent brain surgery and has been battling serious health issues since.