Author Krasznahorkai László discussed his creative process, personal regrets, and long-standing creative partnership with director Béla Tarr during a two-hour interview on Partizán with Gulyás Márton. According to the interview, the writer revealed that he once destroyed several of his own manuscripts out of a growing fear that his written fiction would manifest in real life.
The Fear of Prophetic Writing and Creative Methods
Writing in the middle of his career, Krasznahorkai started dreading that his plots would actually happen in reality, as stated in the Partizán broadcast. He admitted that he either kept certain pieces silent or completely destroyed them. According to the author, several of his books later contained scenes that mirrored real-world events that occurred afterward.
Detailing the creation of his seminal work, Krasznahorkai noted that Sátántangó was composed almost entirely inside his head in 15 to 20 A4 pages just to maintain structural precision before he finally wrote it down. He added that if he still worked at that capacity today, he would still rely entirely on mental composition, though he now limits himself to smaller projects.
Personal Insecurities and Past Regrets
Shifting from his literary habits to personal reflections, Krasznahorkai recounted an encounter while driving his own car and stopping at a red light. Distracted by a phone call, he slightly released the brake and bumped the car ahead of him. The driver of the front vehicle jumped out and complained to a third, impatient motorist behind them, referring to Krasznahorkai aloud as “the old man.”
According to the interview, the author went home, asked his wife to photograph him from behind, and experienced a deep collapse upon seeing the results, admitting he remains vain. While he confessed he cannot reconcile with having a belly, he noted he is not bothered enough by it to take corrective action.
Krasznahorkai also opened up about an incident from his younger years when he was walking with a girlfriend at night and an intoxicated man approached and attacked her. The author admitted he stepped aside and let them sort it out themselves, noting he was over forty years old at the time. He stated that he still carries a deep sense of shame over failing to stand up against the aggressive stranger, even though his former partner was resourceful enough to handle the situation independently.
An Exclusive Partnership with Béla Tarr
Discussing his cinematic collaborations, Krasznahorkai confirmed that outside of director Béla Tarr, he refuses to work with anyone else. The author recalled a major conflict during the shooting of The Man from London (A londoni férfi), when Tarr showed him the first cut of the footage. Krasznahorkai reacted so severely that he told Tarr the film should never be finished and that no more films should be made, feeling that Tarr’s entire body of work deserved a different conclusion before storming off.
He stated that he will not collaborate with anyone else during his lifetime, noting that even his children must sign agreements preventing unauthorized adaptations. “Either Tarr resurrects and makes one, or everyone else has zero chance,” he stated, adding a simpler explanation for his rejection of other directors: “I don’t like filmmakers.”
Did you know?
Krasznahorkai’s creative method for Sátántangó relied heavily on mental drafting before committing text to paper, a practice he maintained to ensure exact structural proportions across his writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Krasznahorkai destroy any of his own manuscripts?
Yes, according to his interview on Partizán, Krasznahorkai destroyed certain writings because he grew afraid that the events he put on paper would actually happen in reality.
Which filmmaker does Krasznahorkai work with?
Krasznahorkai works exclusively with director Béla Tarr, rejecting all other film adaptation offers from other directors.
What did Krasznahorkai say about his creative process for Sátántangó?
He stated that Sátántangó was constructed almost entirely in his head across 15 to 20 A4 pages for precise sizing before he finally wrote it down.
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