Biographie
Tibor Fonyodi, also known by his pen name Harrison Fawcett, is an accomplished author and screenwriter.
Born under the Gemini sign on June 2nd in Budapest, he began writing as a hobby at age 10 and has continued ever since. At 13, he stumbled upon Percy Fawcett's travelogue, *Exploration Fawcett: Journey to the Lost City of Z*, which deeply inspired him. He vowed to publish his first work under the name Harrison Fawcett. His writings first appeared in 1992 in the magazine *Harmadik Szem* (Third Eye).
In 1998, true to his promise, he released his debut novel *Opium Waltz* (*Ópiumkeringő*) under the Harrison Fawcett name. This book, reprinted three times in Hungary, launched the now-cult Brett Shaw series. Eight more Brett Shaw stories followed, with the first four reprinted in the 2003 anthology *Best of Brett Shaw* by Cherubion.
That same spring, the first volume of his best-known work, *Warriors of the Cathedral* (*A katedrális harcosai*), was published. He received the Peter Zsoldos Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year for the second volume, *Legend of the Cathedral* (*A Katedrális legendája*), a mystical sci-fi set in ancient Rome.
His science fiction stories have been reprinted a record 22 times in Hungary. After a 13-year hiatus, his new sci-fi novel *Long Way to the Throne, Baby* (*Hosszú út a trónig, bébi*) is set to be published. This "alternate sequel" to the widely successful *Cathedral* duology (which itself has been reprinted three times) can also be enjoyed independently.
The hiatus from science fiction was due to his growing interest in reinterpreted or falsified history starting in the early 2000s. In 2002, he began publishing his historical fantasy adventure series *Road of Armies* (*Hadak útja*). The first book, *Scourges of God* (*Isten ostorai*), is set during the Hun Empire, while the fifth and final installment is *Wind-spout* (*Főrrgeteg*). The series has seen multiple reprints, and *Scourges of God* was translated into French by Pygmalion in 2005 as *Le Chamane d'Attila*.
Fonyodi’s screenwriting career began in 2006, resulting in numerous film stories and scripts entering production. He won the grand prize as lead writer at Moscow’s 2008 DetectiveFest for *In The Line Of Fire* (*Tűzvonalban*), and again in 2012 at the Vmesztye/Together International Film and Television Festival in Yalta for *Hacktion* (seasons I-II). He is the first Hungarian screenwriter to earn international grand prizes for two TV series. Since 2010, he has been among Hungary’s busiest screenwriters, contributing to many TV movies and feature films produced through international co-productions.
From 2019 to 2023, he served as director of script development at the National Film Institute (formerly Film Fund), was a member of the Film Professional Jury, and from 2023 until his departure in 2024, headed film script development and served on the Television Jury.
Between 2021 and 2023, he taught screenwriting at the Zsigmond Vilmos Institute of Motion Picture Arts, part of the University of Theater and Film.
Starting February 2024, he will return to creative work as a scriptwriter and creative producer for various domestic and international projects.
In June 2024, alongside director Barnabás Tóth, he will receive the Hungarian Motion Picture Award for the script of *Masterpiece* (*Mesterjátszma*).
Tibor Fonyodi is a founding member of the Association of Hungarian Screenwriters (MFE-HSA) and the screenwriter branch of FilmJus. He is also a member of the Hungarian Writers’ Association and a guest lecturer at the Budapest Film Academy. Married with three children, he has lived in Gödöllő with his family since 2023.
