The Siege: Archangel One

'The Siege' and its subsequent sequel, 'The Siege 2' hold the distinction of being Hungary's first action films, short or otherwise. Both projects have received their fair share of festival awards, with the first film even claiming a prize at the Urban Action Showcase in New York. Created by Mark G. Lakatos, the franchise is a massive collaboration between filmmaking collective DecentEye Productions and the self-defence organisation Krav Maga Global.

The franchise is set in the crime-ridden agglomeration of Budapest, where driven civilians from all walks of life can join the ranks of the civil guardsmen. These quasi-police aid official law enforcement by undertaking dirty and dangerous tasks, often landing themselves in the crosshairs of sinister criminals.

Right and wrong, good and evil are lines that are blurred in a world like this.

The Siege introduced audiences to a pair of fearless fighters cutting their way through a notorious crime boss and his mercenaries, while the sequel, The Siege 2 explored the fallout and subsequent power struggle from that first engagement.

Set in Budapest 10 years before the events of the the first two films, Archangel follows the first group of civil guardsmen as they navigate dark waters. Mihály Kovács is a bricklayer by day, but leads his team of volunteers by night. Driven by the love for his young daughter, Emili, he truly believes in doing whatever it takes to achieve justice.

Both his and his daughters lives are turned inside out when a prolific serial killer begins targeting them both. The true nature of the attacks only being revealed as the mystery deepens and tensions flare.

Unlike other Siege entries, Archangel is being conceived as a true-to-form feature film, one that pushes the envelope of what is possible for low-budget storytelling. A dark, violent and sensitive thriller.

The film and its predecessors proudly take inspiration from gritty crime thrillers like Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and the Indonesian action classic The Raid.

The visual space of these films has evolved immensely and Archangel will be taking inspiration from the likes of Greig Fraser and Marcell Rév to create intimacy and emotional realism, while also maintaining adaptability.

As with many projects in this genre, action often drives the story forward, which is especially true for the Siege-verse. The fight scenes are brutal and forego the tropes of over-editing and shaky camerawork. From sword fights to gunplay, short exchanges to 2-minute long takes, the franchise is a varied playground for action that has been internationally recognised.

Our team has long prided itself on producing meaningful, impactful and internationally recognised films since 2019.

Mark Lakatos is a 20-year old, multi-award winning Hungarian writer, director and producer. His work includes both The Siege films, along with other noteworthy shorts such as Venandi and House of Babel.

Norbert Nyutali is a bodybuilder and actor, affectionately nicknamed the 'Hungarian Jason Statham' by the press. His work ranges from successful indie projects such as The Mole and Vulpes to major productions like Borderlands and The Godmother. He is set to play Mihály Kovács.

Riana Emma Balla is a young operetta singer, actress and Hungarian media sensation. With credits in The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, Borderlands and Amazon's Jack Ryan, her ever-expanding body of work won her Best Actress at LAFA (Los Angeles Film Awards). She also wrote Rift, a complex short film on child abuse while also starring in a number of independent films. She is set to play Emili Kovács.

András Gerlai is an award-winning cinematographer who lensed a handful of successful shorts. His work includes the horror short Venandi, as well as both films in the Siege-franchise.

Declan James McLeish is a San Francisco based Scottish musician and media composer with a multi-faceted body of work ranging from films to performance-oriented pieces.

The cast is rounded out by voice actor Tamás Tarcsi, R&B singer/songwriter Bernadett Bettina "Bex" Ács, amateur actor Gergely Melis and veteran indie film mainstay Tamás Szirák.

A hero is only as good as its villain and Archangel looks to introduce a most sinister threat. Nothing is ever as it seems with this mysterious figure.

The ever-expanding cast is composed of a dedicated and experienced group of actors, performers and industry professionals, along with eager film students and instructors from Krav Maga Global Hungary, the largest self-defence organisation in the country.

We plan to release the film during Fall of 2022, however, we will take as much time as necessary to perfect the final product and find the most optimal schedule for release. This is likely to be one of Hungary’s most ambitious independent film productions, so we want to give it the attention it deserves.

Unlike our previous work, we would like Archangel to play in select theatres across the country and make its debut exclusively at film festivals beforehand.

The Siege was made for no more than $500 in less than 2 days, while The Siege 2 was made for 2700 with a production period of less than 12 days. In terms of scope, scale and story, Archangel is definitely the most ambitious.

We are very specific and transparent as to what the money goes towards. Funding goes towards ensuring the film's quality and overall production value:

Artwork and Digital Promotions

Storyboards

Production Design

Housing For Crew and Talent

Gear Rentals

Makeup and Practical Effects

Travel Costs

Wardrobe Department and Props

Food

Soundtrack Production

VFX and Post Production

Film Festival Campaign