For his film entitled “Budapest” (released in 2018), Xavier Gens sets up his camera in the Hungarian capital. Its goal: is to stage the story of an agency that actually exists in real life.
Budapest: Manu Payet and Jonathan Cohen are a pair
Xavier Gens is a great traveler. Alternating French productions (Border(s)) and international (Hitman), he tours almost everywhere in Europe. Thus, for his first comedy with Budapest, he joined Hungary. Inspired by wacky comedies like Todd Philips or Adam McKay, he surrounds himself with a solid cast with Manu Payet, Jonathan Cohen, Monsieur Poulpe, Alice Belaidi, and Alix Poisson. Unfortunately, the film is not a wild success at the box office, and even finds itself the target of criticism for its clichés toward Hungary.
Budapest follows Vincent and Arnaud, two friends who decide to drop everything to create an agency that organizes crazy bachelor parties in Budapest. However, if the business goes up fast, the situation escalates rapidly without the two friends being able to control her.
The story of a crazy agency
Budapest is partly taken from a true story: that of Alexandre Martucci and Aurélien Boudier, ex-residents of HEC. So, after having organized an original bachelor party for one of their friends, they have a completely twisted idea in 2010: organize bachelor parties like no other. Indeed, after noticing that in this sector, the organizers were used to sticking to the nails and doing classic (paintball, strip, and then that’s all), they decide to go further.
With Alexandre and Aurelien, the EVG, therefore, result in the destruction of cars, simulations of kidnapping, or dog attacks. Victim of his own success, the Crazy-EVG company now has more than 200,000 customers and employs 45 people. A former friend of HEC with Alexandre, the screenwriter Simon Moutaïrou then contacted the two childhood friends to tell them about their experience, the goal being to stage a sort of very bad trip French-style. This is how the project Budapest sees the day.
Besides, Alexandre and Aurelien act as consultants on the set in the Hungarian city. In the magazine Telestar they also admit that the film deliberately exaggerates the real activities of their company:
We are talking to people who are going to get married and it is very important for the success of our society that the wedding takes place. On the other hand, we do not accompany the groups on site. On the other hand, we have structures on site, guides and local coordinators, who are there to supervise our groups.
