Film Institute Marks 120 Years Of Hungarian Film

  • 19 Jan 2021 7:54 AM
  • Hungary Matters
Film Institute Marks 120 Years Of Hungarian Film
The National Film Institute (NFI) is celebrating the 120th anniversary of the first Hungarian film with a host of programmes that will include film screenings, exhibitions and other activities.

The programmes will begin with the Day of Hungarian Film on April 30, the statement said.

In July, NFI and the Budapest Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art will open an exhibition presenting the history of Hungarian film.

The museum will also play host to film screenings, as will the Budapest Classic Film Marathon, the Valley of Arts festival in Kapolcs and film clubs across the country.

The NFI will also produce a 12 episode documentary series on the history of Hungarian cinema.

In addition, the institute will promote 120 works of Hungarian cinema on Facebook over the course of the year.

Released on April 30, 1901, The Dance, the first professionally directed Hungarian film, was the collaborative work of cinematographer Béla Zsitkovszky and writer Gyula Pekár, the statement noted.

The film itself, however, was lost over the years, and only still photographs remain.


Photo courtesy of filmarchiv.hu

  • How does this content make you feel?

XpatLoop Media Partner

Hungary Matters

Launched in January 2014, this newsletter published on week days covers 'everything you need to know about what’s going on in Hungary and beyond', according to its publisher the state media agency MTI.

  • II. Budapest International Film Festival, 25 October - 2 November

    II. Budapest International Film Festival, 25 October - 2 November

    • 14 Oct 2025 5:17 PM

    For nine days this autumn, Budapest welcomes film lovers to celebrate the best of international cinema. Following its successful debut last year, the Budapest International Film Festival (BIFF) returns for nine days of celebration — featuring nearly 40 films and more than 50 screenings at Corvin Cinema.

  • Party Venue Budapest Park to Transform Into Ice Rink

    Party Venue Budapest Park to Transform Into Ice Rink

    • 7 Oct 2025 1:49 PM

    Budapest Park recently closed a successful 2025 party period, and will reopen as an ice rink soon. The fourteenth season's visitor numbers reached almost 670,000, which is 7 percent more than last year.

  • Cinemira International Children’s Film Festival in Budapest this October

    Cinemira International Children’s Film Festival in Budapest this October

    • 1 Oct 2025 6:09 AM

    The Cinemira International Children’s Film Festival is Hungary’s only event dedicated to films for children and teenagers. This year, the festival expands to two weekends to reach a wider young audience. Cinemira TEEN takes place from October 8-10 at Akvárium Club in central Budapest, while Cinemira KIDS, for ages 4 to 12, will be held on October 23-24 at Millennium Park.