Hungarian novelist, essayist and screenplay writer (Budapest 1966). He holds a degree in law and political science from Eötvös Loránd University Budapest and studied Aesthetics and Judaic Studies. He participated in the Iowa International Writing Program Residency in the United States (2003). Szántó is the editor-in-chief of the Hungarian Jewish monthly Szombat. His additional field of interest is researching and teaching Modern Jewish Literature.
One of his short stories (1945, Homecoming) has been developed into a feature film entitled 1945 directed by Hungarian film director Ferenc Török. The film that Szántó was one of the screenwriter of won 20 international awards and has been sold into 40 countries.