Hungarian Film Festival Winners at Veszprém-Balaton Filmpicnic

Part of the European Capital of Culture 2023 programme, the Veszprém-Balaton Filmpicnic initiative is meant to strengthen the Veszprém and Balaton cultural-creative region and enhance its European visibility. The choice of a new scene for the annual domestic film festival is a result of the cooperation between the Veszprém-Balaton 2023 ECoC programme, the National Film Institute, and the Hungarian Film Academy.

The venues and dates of the Filmpicnic have been chosen to bring filmmakers and audiences to watch Hungarian films in the early summer buzz of Lake Balaton, allow them to meet Hungarian stars and professionals and explore or rewatch contemporary and classic masterpieces, popular movies and rarities.

“Since the ’90s, filmmaking has not been present in the region with any major professional or open programme: it was about thirty years ago that the last Veszprém Television Convention was held. At the same time, the atmosphere of the city and Lake Balaton is ideal for a film meeting, so this initiative gives us special joy and expectations. Film and motion picture art are important elements of our programme: we would like to offer an attractive environment as best as we can to the Hungarian motion picture sector and the audience. Last but not least, we are planning to develop the infrastructure, too, for example we would like to open a new art cinema in the future,”- said János Can Togay, artistic and creative director of Veszprém-Balaton 2023 JLC and Péter Muszatics, the Filmpicnic’s artistic director.

The Hungarian Motion Picture Festival started yesterday and will last until Saturday evening at Corvin Cinema in Budapest, with 59 Hungarian Film Awards entries and a number of non-competing works shown – television films are free to watch, while feature film tickets come at a discount price of 500 HUF. Members of the Hungarian Film Academy select the winners of the Hungarian Film Awards by secret ballot; the awards ceremony will take place on the evening of 5th March at Vígszínház, Budapest.