Alessandro Nivola’s 2024 has been a whirlwind of cinematic experiences, culminating in his role in Brady Corbet’s highly anticipated epic drama, The Brutalist. The film, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and is garnering significant awards buzz, traces the poignant journey of László Toth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor portrayed by Adrien Brody. Nivola plays Attila, László’s cousin, who offers him a lifeline in post-war America. This collaboration between Nivola and Corbet, which was initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, marks a significant point in both their careers.
Nivola’s initial contact with Corbet about the project occurred in 2020, amidst the global pandemic. The director’s ambitious plan to shoot in Poland within weeks of their conversation was, understandably, met with incredulity by Nivola, given the travel restrictions and lockdowns in place at the time. The project was ultimately shelved until three and a half years later, finally allowing the vision of The Brutalist to materialize. The film explores themes of displacement, trauma, and the enduring power of the human spirit as László navigates a new life in America while separated from his wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones).
The Brutalist opens in limited release on an unspecified Friday before expanding nationwide on January 24, 2025 (a date clarified from a discrepancy mentioned as January 25 in the source material). The film weaves a complex narrative surrounding László’s attempt to rebuild his life in Pennsylvania, starting with work at Attila’s furniture business. A pivotal encounter with a wealthy industrialist, Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), further shapes László’s trajectory, leading him down a path fraught with both opportunity and profound tragedy. The film’s depiction of László’s struggles to reconcile his past trauma with the promise of a new beginning forms the emotional core of the narrative.
Nivola’s portrayal of Attila in The Brutalist involved intricate scenes opposite Adrien Brody, Emma Laird (as Attila’s wife, Audrey), Guy Pearce, and Joe Alwyn (as Van Buren’s son, Harry). One particularly significant scene, the reunion between Attila and László at a Pennsylvania bus station, stands out both for its emotional weight and the unique circumstances of its filming. This scene, where Attila reveals that Erzsébet is still alive, was filmed with a VistaVision widescreen 35mm camera positioned remarkably close to the actors. The intense noise emitted by the camera, combined with the intimate nature of the scene and the emotional depth of the dialogue, created a heightened atmosphere that both Nivola and Brody had to navigate.
The intensity of the bus station reunion is further amplified by the complex history between László and Attila. Nivola describes their relationship as having a "brother-like" closeness from childhood, yet underlying tensions simmer beneath the surface. Attila grapples with a mixture of admiration, resentment, and jealousy towards László’s talent. Compounding these emotions is Attila’s guilt over having immigrated to the US ten years before the Holocaust, escaping the horrors that László endured. This guilt, coupled with László’s harrowing experiences, contributes to a sense of inadequacy and shame that Attila carries throughout the film. The reunion scene becomes a microcosm of their complicated relationship, laden with unspoken emotions and unresolved tensions.
The use of the loud, close-proximity VistaVision camera during the crucial reunion scene added an unexpected layer to the actors’ performances. The overwhelming noise of the camera mechanism created a sense of pressure and immediacy, forcing Nivola and Brody to engage with each other on a deeper level. This unplanned element, while initially challenging, ultimately served to enhance the scene’s rawness and emotional impact. The combination of the actors’ powerful performances, the intimate setting, and the unusual filming technique contributed to a pivotal moment in The Brutalist, capturing the complex dynamic between the two cousins as they begin to rebuild their fractured relationship in the shadow of shared history and vastly different experiences.