about hungarian film week
1965.
The Beginnings of the Feature Film Review (1965–1975)
Hungarian film production of the time was directed by various state film studios. Films were therefore entered to the Feature Film Review (Játékfilmszemle) by the heads of these studios.
The first Feature Film Review award ceremony was held on November 14, 1965.
The Grand Prize of the Social Jury was awarded to Zoltán Fábri’s Twenty Hours (20 óra), while the Main Prize went to three films: András Kovács’s Difficult People (Nehéz emberek), Márton Keleti’s The Corporal and Others (A tizedes meg a többiek), and Miklós Jancsó’s My Way Home (Így jöttem).
The award for Best Cinematography was presented to György Illés.
1976.
The Wandering Years of the Festival (1976–1983)
Between 1976 and 1983, the Feature Film Review was hosted alternately by Pécs and Budapest, and after 1983, Budapest became its permanent home, held every year in the first week of February.
The timing was chosen to coincide with the Berlin International Film Festival, allowing many international film professionals to visit Budapest before the Berlinale and carry the reputation of Hungarian cinema to Berlin.
There were also years in the festival’s history when no prizes were awarded (1976–1980), or when the main prize was not presented (1981).
The festival was not held in 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1975.
1989.
The Era of the Hungarian Film Review (1989–2011)
In 1989, the event was renamed Hungarian Film Review (Magyar Filmszemle).
Between its founding in 1965 and 2011, a total of 37 Hungarian films received the main prize.
2012.
The “No-Frills” Year and the Long Hiatus (2012–2024)
In 2012, a so-called “no-frills” Hungarian Film Review was organized — however, without competition, and thus no awards were presented.
This was followed by a 13-year hiatus in the history of one of Hungary’s most significant film events.
2025.
The Rebirth of the Film Review (2025–)
The Hungarian Film Association, led by Dr. András Muhi, decided to revive the festival in February 2025, resulting in the 44th Hungarian Film Review.
The returning event once again featured a competition program, presenting awards in eight categories, and a new Hungarian main prize-winning film was announced.
The festival achieved great professional and audience success: filmmakers and visitors filled the screenings with over 20,000 viewers, proving that the love and interest in the Film Review remains a living tradition.
