Shot in Hungary: The Witcher

Everybody is looking for the next Game of Thrones, from viewers to producers. Netflix believes they have alighted upon that with their popular new series The Witcher. Based on the series of fantasy books by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, much like GOT The Witcher takes place in a fictional medieval land, where dark forces and mystical creatures run amuck. Unlike GOT, The Witcher’s first season was filmed in Hungary, along with a few other European locations. Chosen for its diverse locations and sound stages — nothing new here — the eastern European, old world feel of the books was easy to reproduce.

Budapest City Park’s Vajdahunyad Castle, so majestic, picturesque, and haunted looking, was utilized for one location. Built in 1856, the castle is actually a replica for one build earlier, but has aged into its ancient look. Sources also report the Kiscelli Museum was another location.

via Wikipedia Commons

The Kiscelli Museum is a good find, and under-used location. According to the museum’s site” “The ensemble of the former baroque monastery and church housing the Kiscelli Museum is on the hillside above Margaret Hospital in Óbuda. The Trinitarian order having been suppressed in 1784, the ensemble was also used as military barracks and military hospital before it was purchased by the Vienna-based art collector and furniture manufacturer Max Schmidt in 1910, who turned it into a luxurious mansion.” As with every location in Hungary, the Kiscelli Museum comes with its own backstory.

via the Kiscelli Museum site

The cast of The Witcher were seen about town during the shoot, indulging fans and enjoying the city, as most stars do when they come to Budapest. Of the shoot, Witcher star Eamon Farren told Express online: “We've started shooting and you walk onto these sets and they're just incredible, the scale of it is massive. What I love about The Witcher is the scale of it is massive but the stories and the characters are so intimate and familiar, but also and they exist in that epic world.”

It is still undetermined if The Witcher and Budapest’s partnership will continue in future seasons, nor is it certain it will be the next GOT, but for now reports are that it looks awful good on the screen, in no small part due to the locations. So no matter which Witcher we watch in Season Two, we know which we prefer: that which is filmed in Hungary.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Those Who Remained Shortlisted for Oscar

It’s the time of year when some things are new — the year, for instance — and some things are familiar, like a Hungarian film being short-listed for a Best Foreign Film Oscar. In recent years we’ve seen Son of Saul, and On Body and Soul, two locally made films, on this list. This year brings about the drama Those Who Remained (Akik maradtak, in Hungarian), which made the 2020 shortlist, along with some stiff competition in the form of Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, and Paweł Aleksander Pawlikowski’s Cold War. True, the list was released in December, but we are still catching up here.

Directed by Barnabás Tóth, the drama tells the story of a teenage girl who mourns family losses with a doctor in post WWII Hungary. In a rave review, Daily Variety had this to say: “Perceptively directed by Barnabás Tóth, it taps into a deep well of honestly earned emotion as it tells the story of two traumatized survivors whose relationship helps them to heal and provides them with someone to live for. Set in the period between 1948 and ’53, the period drama also takes on the purges of Hungarian politician Mátyás Rákosi’s Communist regime.” Variety also calls the film “achingly tender.”

Tóth’s first film was the well received, but perhaps more commercially minded Camembert Rose. It has been a decade since that film, but worth the wait, as Hollywood Reporter called Tóth, “a talent to watch.” Only time will tell if Those Who Remained can repeat the winning success of Son of Saul, but the Holocaust subject matter is traditionally sympathetic to Academy voters, and the film has already been widely praised. The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 9 of this year. That’s 2020, and this is us, wishing you a happy one.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Happy Holidays from Hungary and Flatpack!

Holidays in Budapest and Hungary are always something to look forward to, whether your thing is mulled wine, Krampus, or Hanukkah candles. One of the charming traditions in Budapest that thrills one and all are the ‘light trolleys’ or ‘light trams,’ which are simply traditional forms of public transportation lit up with Christmas lights. Looking like ride-able Christmas trees, 40,000 LED lights are used to illuminate each tram. Running along the number 2 tram line and 76 trolley line, among others, the special festive — and new — holiday tradition can be experienced from November 29th through to January 5th. A ride on the number 2 tram is also one of the least expensive ways to see the city at its scenic best, as it runs along the river Danube.

So though we are taking some holiday time to ourselves, we encourage you to get out and see some of the lit up holiday trams and trolleys rolling around Budapest. And if you can’t experience them in person, enjoy the pictures below.

via the BKK FB page

via the BKK FB page

via the BKK FB page

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Hungarian Wins Emmy For the First Time

via the Eternal Winter FB page

While Hungarians are frequently present at the Oscars, due to the international nature of the film industry, and the disproportionate amount of Hungarians working in Hollywood, they are far less represented at international television awards ceremonies. That’s why it’s so exciting that this year saw the first win by a Hungarian actor for an International Emmy, ‘the Oscars of television.’ Actor Marina Gera took home the Best Performance by an Actress statue for her lead role in drama Eternal Winter at this year’s ceremony.

The World War Two drama tells the story of Hungarians deported to Ukraine and interned into forced labor, Gulag-like camps. In Film Threat’s fawning review, they summarize the drama as such: “Irén (Marina Gera) is trying to celebrate a melancholy Christmas with her parents (Anikó Für, Tibor Gáspár) and daughter Ági (Norina Fehérvári), despite her soldier husband (Gábor Jászberényi) being long absent from the dinner table. While they struggle to maintain a unified household, Soviet soldiers arrive in Hungary to force all young women with possible German origins away from their village. Effectively kidnapping them and transporting them to a Gulag camp, the women are forced to work in the nearby coal mines. While the abysmally inhumane conditions bare down on everyone in the camp, Irén meets Rajmund (Sándor Csányi), who decides to teach her his rules of survival.”

via the Eternal Winter FB page

Directed by Attila Szász, Eternal Winter is a story that is very close to home in these parts, as it is estimated that around 700,000 Hungarians were held in such labor camps, many of whom died there. In her acceptance speech, Gera paid homage to their lives, dedicating the award to “all the Hungarian victims who suffered in the Soviet Union.” Naturally, the film was shot in and around Budapest and Transylvania.

The International Emmy Award is an award given by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (IATAS) in recognition of the best television programs initially produced and aired outside the United States. Originated in 1973, it attracts over 1,200 television professionals. Here’s hoping that this success sets the tone for many more Hungarian faces at the Emmys. 

Below you can watch the trailer for Eternal Winter, in Hungarian with English subtitles.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Actor Timothée Chalamet Talks Hungary

Actor Timothée Chalamet recently gave Hungary a plug while being interviewed for Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the American classic novel Little Women. The actor was recently in Hungary shooting the adaptation of another classic: Frank Herbert’s Dune. Moreover, he is currently shooting The King, where he plays King Henry V of England in and around Budapest. In the clip below, he does a pretty good job pronouncing the town Szilvásvárad, where a pivotal battle scene was shot. Indeed, The King’s production designer Fiona Crombie was also taken with the location, as she points out to Daily Variety:

For the Battle of Agincourt, Crombie says the geography was very specific. “We needed to find a place that was flanked on either side by forest. We needed it to have a hill and a dip. We went searching for that specifically.” The perfect location for the battle was in Szilvásvárad, Hungary. “It just had the right geography. It was this tiny, little town, but we felt it just had to be there because it gave us the story. It gave us the landscape that we needed.”

This means that Chalamet has shot two films in Hungary this year. Last February he was spotted by fans and media around town. You can see from the snaps below that he was happy to accommodate locals with selfies.

via tchalamet-ny.tumblr.com

While its good, if no longer novel, to see famous actors on the streets of Budapest, it is surprising to hear them use correct Hungarian pronunciation. Known for his work ethic, the mercurial actor no doubt boned up on Hungarian during his time here and in anticipation of interviews where the topic may come up. With that in mind, we look forward to much more Hungarian from Chalamet when he promotes both Dune and the King.

Timothée Chalamet milyen szépen ejti ki a Szilvásvárad szót! pic.twitter.com/3F8KS7KzhQ

— Varga Ferenc (@filmklub) November 15, 2019

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Location Spotter: MÁV Gépgyár's 'Kolonia' Housing Complex

Budapest is loaded with conspicuously filmable locations, from the Chain Bridge to Guzsdu Courtyard. But one of the great things about the city, is that beyond the obvious locations, there exist neighborhoods and structures filled with historical interest and architectural surprises. For instance, take the MÁV Gépgyár kolónia (or, the Colony) as it is known. The small housing development was the result of a merger between machine-making giant Ganz and Hungarian locomotive company MÁVAG to house the factory workers and company supervisors.

Photo via egykor.hu/ Google maps

Photo via egykor.hu by Kováts Győző

Photo via egykor.hu

Completed in 1909, the complex represents the company's attempt to take care of all its workers' needs. The four-story brick buildings contained communal baths, and steam rooms. In the complex, there were laundries, on-site restaurants, a cinema, theater, daycare, clinic, card-room, and a casino for the supervisors. Moreover, there was an on-site ice factory to supply residents with ice to keep food in their kitchens from going bad. In essence, it was a small campus that workers could retire to for rest and entertainment, and where spouses could find what was needed to maintain their homes and care for family.   

Photo via egykor.hu

Photo via egykor.hu

Photo via egykor.hu

 Built on the perimeter of Józsefváros, where it borders the neighborhood Kőbánya, the structure ultimately comprised 645 workers' lodgings and ten multi-room apartments for the supervisors. While it wasn't exactly an experiment in social living, it was very forward thinking for the time. But, of course, Socialization and modernization occurred in the late 20th century, changing the profile of the community. For instance, for a time, in the 80s, the complex was the site of the cultural center called Vörösmarty Kultúrház. Scenes from the modern classic Hungarian musical comedy Csinibaba were filmed there—so the site is not unprecedented as a location.

Photo via egykor.hu

Photo via egykor.hu

Photo via egykor.hu

Filming in Hungary, while dependable, can also be surprising. The ‘Colony’ is only one of the gems that make the city of Budapest so textured as a destination and location.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Six Iconic Budapest Buildings

While Budapest has a distinctive and unique feel--one like no other city on earth--it is also packed with diverse styles of architecture. Art Deco, Bauhuas, Neo-Baroque, Art Nouveau, and not to mention, Brutalist styles sit side by side on the avenues and streets of Buda and Pest (with more than a few distinctive bridges joining the city’s two sides). This week we’ll have a look at a few of Budapest’s more iconic buildings. We will leave out the obvious locations of Parliament and the State Opera House in favor of some lesser publicized spots. 

The Museum of Applied Arts: Designed by Ödön Lechner. Lechner is arguably Hungary’s most celebrated architect. Grandfather of the Hungarian Secession movement, he frequently drew inspiration from folk life as well as popular artistic movements from both West and East. The 1893 Museum of Applied Arts is regarded as one of his most impressive creations.

via Wikipedia Commons

Occasionally mis-attributed to Gustave Eiffel, the Central Market Hall was completed in 1897, and was in fact designed by Hungarian architect and academic Samu Pecz. This mistake is understandable, as it does look something like an ornate train station in Paris, and Eiffel did have a hand in designing Budapest’s Nyugati train station. Tourists arrive at the train station, but flock to the Market Hall, and with good reason.

by Thalar Tamas, via Wikipedia

The Török Bank: also Secessionist, this 1906 structure was designed by architects Armin Hegedűs and Henrik Böhm. In downtown Pest, the Secessionist mosaic by Miksa Róth—Patrona Hungariae— is best viewed from across the street.

The Török Bank via Wikipedia Commons

The 1927, Sándy Gyula-designed Budai Postapalota, or, the Postal Palace, is currently under renovation and on its way to becoming the Museum of Finance and Banking History. The structure overlooks Széll Kalman Square and sat empty for many years before serious renovation began recently.

Budai Postapalota

The Budapest Hotel: even the hotel’s website calls it an ‘oddball’. But over time the Körszálló—the ‘Round Hotel’—became emblematic of 1960’s Budapest, looking at once cosmopolitan and Brutalist in style. It’s one of the few iconic hotels in Budapest that is also affordable.

Budapest Hotel via Danubus Hotels site

Over the next few weeks, we will look at some more iconic Budapest buildings, as well as some in the countryside, or at least outside of the capital. There are any number of buildings in Hungary worthy of a ‘best of’ list. if you have any personal favorites, leave them in the comments.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Gemini Man: Return of the Return of Will Smith in Budapest

via Youtube

The last time Will Smith was in Budapest, he caused quite a sensation by climbing up the Chain Bridge, and delivering a few lines from a hit song. While these antics may have been quietly looked down on by the authorities, nobody minded the attention it brought to the city, and indeed Smith was welcomed with open arms back in Budapest last summer to shoot scenes from his latest big budget thriller, Gemini Man. 

The Ang Lee directed feature was shot in locations in the US as well as a few well chosen spots in Budapest, most saliently Szechenyi Bath House. Perhaps it took the inspiration Budapest had to offer to get Gemini Man made, as various scripts for the film had been kicking around Hollywood for decades, with actors such as Clint Eastwood and Brad Pitt attached. At a near 140,000,000 dollar budget, they could afford arguably the biggest male action star in the world.

Endearingly, during shooting, American television talk show Good Morning America ‘caught up’ with Smith in Budapest, at the bath house for a short interview. Both Smith And Lee seem appropriately  impressed with Szechenyi, the largest bath house in Europe, situated in the center of Budapest’s City Park. On the bath’s website, they claim to be the most visited tourist site in the city, which, if true, is no doubt due to the medicinal qualities of their 18 thermal baths and pools, heated to different degrees.

via the Szechenyi site

Smith and Lee are even brave enough to ‘go deep,’ and taste test the sulfuric waters, which are used as a curative when drank. Not surprisingly, they both prefer swimming in the bath to drinking from it, as the water’s flavor is somewhat eggy and can be difficult to get used to. Afterwards, they allow some Hungarian masseuses to work them over, showing off all the great things the baths have to offer.

Gemini Man is in theaters now, meaning that in his own way, Smith has once again returned to Budapest. Enjoy the clip from Good Morning America, which, if you are like us, will cause you to think back fondly on the warm weather and days spent at the bath house.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Son of Seoul: Korean Film Wins at Cannes

Whether you like Hollywood movies or not, there is no denying that they set trends. So, when the word got out about the amazing locations and film culture in Hungary that are well utilized by the big studios, it spread worldwide. This means productions from countries far abroad, such as India, are arriving to take advantage of all the benefits of film production in Hungary. Lately, we have become quite popular with Korean film as well, as a few features were recently shot here, with more on the way.

film still from Parasite

Korean film is seeing something of a golden age, with directors like Bong Joon-ho, Lee Chang-dong, and So Yong Kim making it big on the international stage. But it is aforementioned Bong Joon-ho’s latest offering, Parasite, that is really bringing Korean film to the attention of the public. The recently released film also won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes film festival. Moreover, it won by unanimous vote, the first time since Blue is the Warmest Color achieved the same result.

The film concerns class relations and escalating entanglement between a wealthy family and an unemployed one. The plot doesn’t summarize well, nor does its categorization, which hits notes of both a psychological thriller as well as a black comedy. In America, where foreign language films don’t traditionally perform well, it had the best per screen opening since La La Land, and the best foreign language film opening ever. 

film still from Parasite

film still from Parasite

Joon-ho himself is no stranger to big budget films that genre bend. His hit Snowpiercer and juggernaut film The Host were both films that stradled between genres, while were hugely popular with international audiences. Metacritic, a site dedicated to such things, put Bong on its list of the 25 most influential directors of the 21st century. 

film still from Parasite

While to the best of our knowledge Budapest has never been used as a stand in for Seoul, the capital of South Korea, or any major Asian city, it may be only a matter of time. But with its world class sound stages, with expert and diligent crews, Budapest will surely only grow in reputation for Korean feature films and television series. 

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Blast from the Past: Late 80s Hungary Revealed!

This week we unearthed a virtual time capsule from the past, in the form of a BBC dispatch from 1988 Hungary, presented by Nick Thorpe, a British journalist who has covered the area for more than thirty years now. The 24-minute report is fascinating to watch now, if only to discover what has changed and what has stayed the same since Socialist-era Hungary. 

The most salient difference in the cityscape of Budapest are the giant Soviet red stars, so prominently displayed in the 80s. These have of course been taken down. Moreover, the symbol was made illegal, to the point where there has been tension with a certain multinational that uses a different version of the red star as its logo.

In 80s Budapest, it is obvious that Hungarian youth are keen to keep up with international trends in fashion and music—more specifically—western trends. This is a testament to the belief that Hungary was regarded as the least authoritarian of the states in the Soviet Union. McDonald’s at that point was considered to mecca of Western culture, serving over 7000 people a day on Budapest’s cosmopolitan Váci street. Now there are McDonald’s in almost every Budapest neighborhood, though eating there is considered far from hip.

The Ladas and Trabants, which were the more common cars on offer in the Soviet bloc, were much prized at the time. They are still prized, though now they are ‘retro’ cars and collector’s items rather than enviable modes of transportation.

Interestingly, Thorpe was able to capture one of the first interviews with the newly formed Fidesz party. From its humble beginnings, Fidesz has of course grown into the largest political party in the country. 

Much has changed since Thorpe’s short documentary. But what has stayed the same is the sense of national pride that Hungary is a unique country within Europe, and a feeling that no matter how far one travels, Hungary is a home worth returning to. 

Enjoy this helping of late 80s Hungary. It’s worth it for the haircuts alone.

Location Spotter: The Rumbach Street Synagogue

via József Rozsnyai/ Wikipedia Commons

One of Budapest’s most remarkable and historical sites is ending a decade-long closure and renovation. The Rumbach Street Synagogue (Rumbach utcai zsinagóga) stands around the corner from Budapest’s more famous Dohany Street Synagogue, which tends to absorb much of the tourist traffic. But the smaller, less renown structure holds a charm over those who have seen its interior, which had its own deteriorated beauty.

Originally built in 1872, designed in the Moorish Revival style by Austrian architect Otto Wagner, pioneer of the Viennese Art Nouveau movement, it is in the heart of what is considered Budapest’s ‘Jewish Quarter’. This means octagonal shapes, balconies, minarets-style towers, domes. According to Wikipedia, the design is an homage to the Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine, which stands in Jerusalem. Indeed, it is the Islamic decorative elements that make the building so beautiful.

via Thaler Tamas/ Wikipedia Commons

According to jewish-heritage-europe.eu, “The interior work amounts to a complete rebuilding and/or replacement of both structural and decorative elements, including the wall paintings and wood-paneled ceiling, and also rebuilding the destroyed ark in its original place, using plaster, glass, and gold; some changes will be made in order to allow the sanctuary to serve as a multi-functional venue for concerts and other events. The floor will be returned to its original decorative paving after the installation of underfloor heating.”

via Wikipedia Commons

They synagogue served the city’s Neolog Jewish community until mass deportations during the second world war. What wasn’t destroyed at that point, was left to deteriorate. After the ousting of the socialist government, the space was occasionally opened for cultural events like concerts and art openings. A guard stationed there would sometimes give unofficial tours for a small gratuity. There is even an unconfirmed rumor that artist Yoko Ono was interested in taking over stewardship of the space to use as a studio.

If a synagogue can be described as ‘romantic’ than that would apply to The Rumbach Street Synagogue. And once reopened, it will be a small gem in the cultural landscape of the city, only polished and on display.

via Misibacsi/ Wikipedia Commons

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Indian Film Festival Comes To Budapest

These are very international times in Budapest indeed. A visit from a Japanese princess, followed by an Indian film festival. Made famous by the films of Satyajit Ray and Mira Nair, and of course Bollywood, Indian cinema is just as popular in Budapest as it is around the world, and will be celebrated with the Indian Film Festival Hungary (IFFW), which runs this month from the 7th to the 13th of October. This is the fifth such festival in Budapest, and is set to be the biggest.

Inaugurated by a ‘Curtain Raiser Press Conference’ with Indian ambassador Sh. Kumar Tuhin and Captain Rahul Bali, the curator of Indian Film Festival Worldwide, the festival will showcase twelve Indian films, which will be shown on the large screens at CINEMApink, at MOM Park in Buda. The festival is supported by the Hungarian National Film Fund , Rajkot Palace, Curry House, Dasvir and the Hungarian Embassy in India.

According to the event’s press release, “Ambassador Kumar Tuhin said that the Indian Film Festival Hungary is an important festival in the event calendar of Embassy and has become a great platform for cultural exchanges and mutual appreciation of cinema between India and Hungary. He said that over the years the festival has been opening new avenues of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and creating a euphoria about India in Hungary.

The Indian Film Festival Hungary is an endeavor to promote the art and culture between India & Hungary via Indian cinema and would be attended by Award winning Actors and Film Makers of Indian cinema like Raima Sen, Umesh Shukla, Rahul Mittra & Dr. Rajinder Chadha as well as some of the biggest names from the Hungarian Film, Art & Cultural Fraternities.”

The grand opening ceremony of the festival will take place on the 7th of October at Mom Park. 

Of course Flatpack also has a history of working with Indian film-makers and other Indian film and TV projects. We are proud and privileged to have serviced Maddock Films with Dinesh Vijan for a recently shot television series, as well as Red Chillies Entertainment, headed by Shah Rukh Khan. Let’s hope Indian film-making in Budapest will be a growing enterprise.

You can have a look at the FESTIVAL PROGRAM here.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

A Royal Visit from the Far East: Princess Kako in Budapest

via Wikipedia Commons

While Will Smith returning to Budapest was what dominated the local news last week, helped along with his gift of a free concert in the city center, we also had a quieter, perhaps more surprising visit. Rather than the ‘Fresh Prince’, we got a young princess, in the form of Princess Kako, from Japan, having flown in to visit with Hungarian president Janos Adar and celebrate 150 years of diplomatic ties between Hungary and Japan.

The official diplomatic lunch was held at Budapest’s famous Café Central, known as one of the primary hangouts of turn-of-the-century Hungarian writers, also attracting Japanese expat Juichiro Imaoka, a poet who also wrote the first Hungarian/Japanese dictionary. “I pay my respect to your efforts from the bottom of my heart,” she said to the assembled guests. 

via Wikipedia Commons

This was the first time the niece of Japanese Emperor Naruhito visited Hungary, and indeed her first trip from Japan in a diplomatic capacity. Staying at Budapest’s spectacular Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel, she toured around the city and countryside, visiting sites like UNESCO protected site of the banks of the Danube that run along Budapest. A horse lover, she also took the opportunity to visit the National Equestrian Museum and other horse-related locations, in the company of Hungary’s Minister of Agriculture. The trip was coupled with one to Vienna and came ten years after her parents -- the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan -- also visited the region.

With 600 or so Japanese businesses in Budapest, the community is large but not as visible as other non-Hungarian foreign communities. Perhaps because the restaurants that frequently act as a cultural bridge -- like with local Vietnamese for instance -- are still expensive by local standards. Still, we hope Princess Kako didn’t spend her time indoors, but rather taking in the spectacular beauty that Budapest offers all her visitors.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

The Fighting Spirit of László Papp, Hungary's Greatest Boxer

via Wikipedia Commons

With undefeated Hungarian MMA star Adam Borics making waves abroad, we have been put in the mood to look at one of the great Hungarian boxers, László Papp, who won gold medals in the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Olympics. That is an incredible run for any athlete, but more so for one who competes in a sport that takes such a physical toll. The feat made Papp the first person to win gold at three consecutive Olympics, a record that would not be tied for 20 years. Moreover, Papp only lost one round across his thirteen Olympic fights. This made him not just a star on Hungarian soil, but an international phenomenon. 

Papp was a mere 5 foot 5 inches tall, 165 centimeters, which meant he rarely had the reach advantage. He made up for it by being a southpaw, or lefty, which is often considered an advantage in combat sports. Papp thrived as an amateur boxer, but his entry into professional boxing was more difficult, as he was in his prime during Hungary’s Socialist era, when professional boxing was banned. But the authorities also looked kindly on the glory he brought the nation, and offered him a kind of compromise, meaning that Papp could travel to neighboring Austria to train and fight. But this would turn out to be a short-lived indulgence. After defeating multiple contenders for the middleweight title, he was finally offered a world title fight against American Randy Sandy. Indeed this would have been a true cold war showdown had it come to pass. Unfortunately, the Hungarian authorities refused Papp an exit visa.

Having won several major fights, Papp would never have the chance to be a world champion. The regime’s decision effectively ended his career as a pro fighter. If there is a silver lining here, it is that Papp is one of the few fighters to retire undefeated, with a record of 27 wins, two draws, and no losses. Before his death in 2003 at age 77, Papp was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, in 2001. At the ceremony, Papp was recognized as one of the best amateur and pro boxers of all time, and given an honorary championship. 

László Papp’s name lives on in Budapest, where his is honored by a statue in District XII and at Papp László Arena, the largest local sporting events venue. Papp’s huge spirit has fought out a place in Hungarian history and in international record books. 

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Hungarian 'Mop Dog' Runs Wild in America!

Puli dog via Csalfa Sommer/ Wikipedia Commons

Talk about a lost dog. This Puli, a breed of dog native to Hungary, and rarely seen outside of Central Europe, has somehow made its way across the pond to what looks like Texas, where it is befriended by a kind-hearted Dr. Pepper delivery truck driver. Dr. Pepper has a reputation for being the soda of choice for people who don’t want to go with the flow, and the image of the Puli definitely represents that. ‘Always be one of a kind’ reads the commercial’s tag-line. This Rastafarian on four legs fits the bill. Have a look at the fetching TV spot, which made the rounds on social media here in Hungary some years back. Funny for us – the video is titled ‘mop dog’ but a ‘mops’ dog in Hungarian, is actually a pug. Go figure.

The Puli is nothing new to Hungarians, who brought the dog to the region over a thousand years ago to herd and guard livestock. Because the thick fur makes it hard to bite, Pulis could defend a flock of sheep against much larger predators, including wolves and bears. The thickness of the coat also makes them totally water resistant; these are animals that are suited for work on the great plains of central Hungary. Though the Puli’s coat will grow out in matted chords, good grooming from a young age will keep the chords trim and neat as they flow towards the ground. To avoid regular maintenance, some owners opt to trim the chords down to bristles, significantly reducing both the size and striking appearance of the animal.

These days, Puli’s are mostly household pets; though owners attest to their loyalty and protectiveness of their homes, traits which make for excellent guard dogs. The strange, intelligent beast has not gone unnoticed abroad. Pulis have won international dog shows, most notably, the Federation Cynologique Internationale (World Canine Organization), at which the Mexican-born Puli Cinko Duda Csebi took first place. In Butte, Montana, there is a statue erected to the Puli known as “The Auditor,” a stray dog that was so resilient it was able to live in the contaminated atmosphere of an abandoned copper mine. Gavin Rosdale of the grunge band Bush published a picture of his Puli in an inset to the band’s album Sixteen Stone, and – a few years back – Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg came to Hungary to get his Puli fix at the source, adding a second Puli to his collection. Now if only Slash from Guns N Roses would buy one, and confirm the adage that ‘pets look like their owners.’

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Hungarians in Hollywood: the Artistry of László Kovács

The recent passing of actor Peter Fonda brought a resurgence of interest in the American counterculture juggernaut of a film Easy Rider. With Dennis Hopper directing, it marked a new era of film-making that catered to the more independent spirit that had taken hold of a changing America, so under stress from the Vietnam War. Nobody understood the feeling of radical freedom better on that set than the cinematographer, László Kovács.

Born in Cece, Hungary, in 1933, Kovács spent his youth under the threat of war, then war itself. In the 50s, he studied cinema at Budapest’s Academy of Drama and Film, where he met his most famous contemporary in cinematography: Vilmos Zsigmond. Together they compiled reels secretly filmed of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. After smuggling the 30,000 feet of footage out of the country in a daring escape to Austria, the pair made their way to America to try to sell the footage. This culminated in a documentary of the event, narrated by Walter Cronkite.

Kovács decided to stay in the States, along with Zsigmond. He took odd jobs like making maple syrup and working in film archives to pay the rent and finance his low/no budget films, like the much forgotten The Incredibly Strange Creatures who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies. Though far from his artistic aspirations, such films led to work on Hollywood B-movies, particularly in the biker genre. This caught the attention of Dennis Hopper, who was recruiting indie-minded film-makers to work on Easy Rider. 

Made for a paltry 400,000 dollars, the film grossed over 60 million worldwide, making all its primaries very in demand for future work. Kovács was recruited to work on Jack Nickolson’s classic Five Easy Pieces, which would garner him the third place Golden Laurel for Best Cinematographer. The eighties saw him work on several influential hits in diverse genres, from straight-up comedy in Ghostbusters, to rom-com Say Anything, and the darkly tragic biopic of Francis Farmer, Francis. His last huge hit was the Sandra Bullock starring Miss Congeniality in the early years of this century. But for his final work, he returned to his roots, contributing the footage he made before escaping Hungary to the documentary Torn From the Flag, about the 1956 Revolution.

Kovács died in his sleep, in Beverly Hills at age 74. The film No Subtitles Necessary chronicles his relationship with Zsigmond, and we have included the trailer below. Kovács has rightfully earned his place in Hollywood, and Hungarian, history.

László Kovács via Wikipedia Commons

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

These Shoes are Made for Winning: Hungarian Takes Top Cobbler Prize

via the Attilacipő FB page

Rare is the occasion when we get to talk about shoes on this blog. But shoes are a big deal, a fetish to some, a daily utilitarian tool to others; and the making of a quality pair of shoes is a craft, if not an art unto itself. And like most crafts, Hungarians have found a way to maintain old traditions while keeping abreast of current trends. ‘To boot,’ recently, a Hungarian, Attila Kovács, was named best shoe-maker — or cobbler — worldwide by one of the few shoe-making competitions.

Sponsored by Inter-Schuh-Service ISS convention in Wiesbaden, Germany, the competition draws cobblers from around the world. Attila Kovács, a third generation shoemaker, came out on top earlier this year, and was named top shoemaker worldwide.

While there is no question that handmade shoes are a luxury item, increasingly so as the internet and automation have done their best to mimic handmade shoes, many of the models made by Kovács still maintain a casual, everyday-wear look.  And when we say ‘handmade’ there should be no mistake about the degree to which they are actually made by hand: nails are hammered into shoe soles, that are hand glued to leather. A pair can take up to six weeks to complete.

What about Attila himself? In his own words: “Born and raised in Oradea (Nagyvárad), I practically grew up in the shoe workshop where I learned to love this profession, with all of the beauty and difficulties that go with it.  After going to school in Oradea and Nagyszalonta, I then continued my studies in Debrecen and decided to take up the family tradition and become a shoemaker. I was taught the secrets and the love of the profession by my father the same way as he was once taught by my grandfather. I founded my own enterprise in 1991; continuing the family tradition, I stayed by the shoehorn. I have been trying to learn and acquire all the secrets of the profession ever since. I participate on a regular basis at different international and national professional competitions where my work has gained significant success so far.”

via the Attilacipő FB page

Attila Shoes, his brand, is no stranger to the limelight though. It was reported in Euronews that his Miskolc workshop was the favored maker of shoes for the late Sir Roger Moore, of James Bond fame. Indeed, his customers come from around the globe. Along with Vass, Tóth, and Heinrich Dinkelacker — other high end cobblers — Hungary has established itself as a destination for quality, affordable handmade shoes.

If you want to check out how a pair of Hungarian shoes are made, have a look at the video below.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Sweet Success as Hungary's National Cake is Named

via the Tóth Cukrászsda FB page

While August is allegedly a quiet month in Budapest and Hungary, in reality there is a lot going on. August, for starters, is the month that Hungary’s birthday falls on, when celebratory fireworks light up the Danube on the 20th. Elsewhere, the Hungaroring, Hungary’s Formula 1 race, takes place in early August. The Sziget Festival, consistently one of Europe’s largest music festivals, is in August. But the month is also a time food mavens look forward to, because August is when Hungary crowns its annual National Cake.

This year, the judges of the cake contest were in a whimsical mood, as the fruit-filled cake ‘Boldogasszony csipkéje’, or Happy Gal’s Lace (let’s say) took first prize from the entrants submitted by pastry shops and confectioneries across Hungary.  The winning pastry chef was revealed as Norbert Tóth from Dunaföldvár’s Tóth Cukrászda (pastry shop or confectioners). Tóth was a finalist in multiple past competitions, coming in third place last year, but this was his year with his pink creation.

‘Boldogasszony csipkéje’, is a country term for ‘raspberry’ as well as meaning lace, so Toth’s word play also tasted fine in the judges’ mouths. Daily News Hungary broke down the components of the winning cake as such: “Crunchy layer, sponge cake soaked in raspberry juice, raspberry-white chocolate cream, lemon-basil ganache, raspberry marmalade and raspberry meringue form the cake. The lace is recreated by ganache and raspberry marmalade. The cake is decorated with meringue sprinkled with lyophilised raspberries and white chocolate bits which were painted green.”

This year’s competition was more stressful for the contestants, as they were required to prepare their cakes in front of the judging team. Alongside the traditional cake competition, a prize was awarded for a sugarless cake as well. This year László Gyuris from Szeged, won, with his Kicsi Gesztenye -- or, ‘Little Hazelnut’ cake.

The Hungarian Confectioner Craftsmen Corporation sponsors the annual competition, in its 13th year, and as usual, the results were presented at Parliament. You can find this year’s winning entry at participating pastry shops around Hungary. Congratulations to the winning cakes, to Hungary in its birthday, and to everybody else making the most of this August.

via the Tóth Cukrászsda FB page

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Filmed in Hungary: Midsommar

Summer is the perfect time for an eerie, atmospheric horror movie. One of this summer’s critical and commercial hits is Midsommar, an American film about a group of young adults who venture to the town of Hårga, Sweden to attend a festival that only occurs once every 90 years, only to find themselves in the midst of a pagan cult ritual. Of course, things get creepy, and bodies begin to pile up. We’re happy to reveal one of the secrets to the film’s bucolic but menacing feel is that instead of shooting on location in Sweden, Midsommar was shot in and around Budapest.

Midsommar’s director, Ari Aster, turned to Hungary after discovering difficult restrictions that made long days of filming challenging in Sweden. He instead settled on Hungary, with its ‘can do’ work ethic. This isn’t unprecedented, and Midsommar certainly isn’t the first horror film to be shot in Budapest. Foremost, Underworld was shot here, along with feature films Season of the Witch, Howling V, The Rite, Dracula, and Hellboy II. Most surprisingly, the film Don’t Breathe, a horror film which takes place in a house in the urban wasteland Detroit, was actually shot on a sound stage in Hungary.

One thing that surprises visitors to Budapest is the proximity of nature and natural locations in regards to the urban downtown. Budapest is one of the few major capitals in the world where you can go scuba diving, caving, kayaking, and indeed hiking through seeming wilderness within the city’s boundaries. This versatility is indeed very attractive to film-makers who want the technical infrastructure an urban center has to offer along with natural settings. Moreover, the rolling hillside in and around Budapest, as showcased in Midsommar, could be anywhere. We can’t say for certain this is first time Hungary stood in as the Swedish countryside, but for sure we’ve seen the picturesque greenery around the city used before in such projects as the films Season of the Witch, Ergon, and TV series Pillars of the Earth.

Midsommar, while still on theatrical release around Europe, pulled in over thirty million dollars in the States earlier in the summer. A director’s cut of the film is also planned. Given all this, perhaps Midsommar II will be in the works. With Hungary’s long, hot summers and striking, though sometimes eerie locations, we can only hope to create another chilling summer — or ‘sommar’ — thrill.

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Location Spotter: Continental Europe's Oldest Metro, the M1

via Wikipedia Commons

A few years back, a lot of local media attention was focused on the opening of the M4 – Budapest’s fourth and newest metro line, and now on potential plans to extend one line to the airport, which will be especially helpful for all the increased tourism the city is seeing. It is easy to forget that Budapest also has one of the oldest continually functioning metro lines in Europe: the M1, locally known as the Kisföldalatti, or ‘ little underground,’ which has the distinction of being the first metro line constructed on continental Europe.

With the construction of Budapest’s most elegant street, Andrássy Avenue around 1872, local politicians saw an opportunity to modernize transportation in the city without damaging the pristine architecture of the street-scape. It would take twenty years for construction of the project to commence in 1894. Two-thousand workers were employed for two years on the project, allowing the M4 to be inaugurated on May 2, 1896 by Emperor Franz Joseph. In its initial years, it carried around 35,000 people a year from the head of Andrássy Avenue up to and under the City Park to the City Zoo. Today it transports over 100,000 people annually over the eleven stations, which run a total of 4.1 kilometers.

via Wikipedia Commons

While the trolleys have been updated, the platforms have an ‘old world,’ prewar feeling. The exterior entrances are done in ceramic and metal work that echoes the secessionist style of the State Opera House, which it passes along its route. Though the M4 may be the newer and flashier addition to public transport in Budapest (media hog!) it is the M1 that remains a favorite with metro enthusiasts, and an ideal location to convey the ‘modern’ aspirations of old world Europe.

via Wikipedia Commons

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.