The Day of Hungarian Film – Tomorrow!

Witness the beginning of a new tradition: from this year on, 30 April will mark the Day of Hungarian Film, as the Urania National Film Theatre and the Hungarian National Film Fund (MNF) decided to organise the first Day of Hungarian Film.

Hungarian films and directors are gaining popularity at home and abroad – think about the box office record of Kincsem last year, or the Oscar nominations: On Body and Soul, and even victories: Son of Saul and Sing. Therefore it is no surprise that Urania and the MNF wish to pay tribute to great Hungarian filmmakers and filmmaking eras and also promote the Hungarian film and film theatre. Similarly to Hungarian poetry or drama, Hungarian film also deserves its own day.

“Hungarian film is cool!”

The date was, of course, carefully chosen: It commemorates the premiere of the first Hungarian film on 30 April 1901. A táncz directed by Zsitkovszky Béla was shown 117 years ago in the predecessor of Urania. Although the film recorded on the deck of the Theatre has been destroyed, posters and postcards will be exhibited to honour its memory.

To promote the event, a video has been made by prominent actors and actresses, in which they share what Hungarian film means to them. Tamás Szabó Kimmel emphasises the familiarity of it, a sense of belonging, while Eszter Ónodi reflects on the fact that everyone watches Hungarian films in Berlin, Cannes or Los Angeles, so it is only natural that she does so as well. Andrea Petrik praises the contemporary creators full of talent and Miklós Vecsei H. sees films as great companions in the quest for a Hungarian identity. Alexandra Borbély adds that there is no need to be afraid of the Hungarian film, and Szabó Kimmel’s closing remarks are: “I think the Hungarian film is very cool!”