Szabolcs Hajdu

Szabolcs Hajdu (b. 1972, Debrecen, Hungary) is a Hungarian writer-director and actor associated with the post–New Hungarian Cinema generation. After studying at the Hungarian University of Theatre and Film Arts, he gained early recognition with Macerás ügyek (2001) and White Palms (2006), a semi-autobiographical drama that premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. His later chamber films It’s Not the Time of My Life (2016, Karlovy Vary Crystal Globe) and Treasure City (2020) explore family tensions and social disillusionment in contemporary Hungary. Hajdu’s cinema combines naturalistic performances, intimate settings, and sharp insight into generational conflict and moral compromise.