Moviegoers in Hungary Prioritize Genre & Cast not Awards When Choosing Films

  • 28 Mar 2025 10:40 AM
Moviegoers in Hungary Prioritize Genre & Cast not Awards When Choosing Films
Hungarian audiences primarily select films based on genre, cast, and trailers rather than prioritizing awards or critical recognition, according to a joint survey by Etele Plaza and Etele Cinema.

The study, conducted in connection with the Etele Night Cinema marathon, reveals that while comedy (81%) and action films (64%) remain the most popular choices, sci-fi (46%), romance (46%), and thrillers (43%) also attract significant interest.

More than 1,400 respondents shared their moviegoing habits, with most attending theaters monthly (39%) or quarterly (39%).

The primary selection criteria include genre (80%), lead actors (59%), and trailers (57%), while recommendations from friends (34%) and online reviews (32%) hold less sway.

Director recognition is important to two-thirds of respondents, whereas 54% stated that whether a film has won awards is irrelevant to their decision-making.

The survey also found a nearly even split in preference for domestic (37%) versus international films (36%). While 60% prefer dubbed movies, 10% actively seek screenings in the original language when available.

Sound quality is a critical factor for 94% of viewers, with 30% considering it a decisive element in their moviegoing experience.

Movie trailers are the primary source of information for 86% of respondents, followed by online reviews (49%), recommendations from acquaintances and social media (45%), and promotional materials like posters and advertisements (29%).

Factors deterring audiences include an undesired genre (49%), high ticket prices (44%), a lack of Hungarian dubbing or subtitles (38%), or poor reviews (34%). However, film length (17%) and lesser-known actors (6%) are rarely deal-breakers.

“Our research confirmed that Hungarian moviegoers are open to a wide range of genres beyond traditional crowd-pleasers, which is why we tailored the Etele Night Cinema program accordingly.

Over one night, we will screen more than 60 films across 15 theaters, organized into different themes to ensure everyone finds something they enjoy during the movie marathon,” said Dóra Vámosi, asset manager.

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