Hungarian Classic Corner: The Witness

At over half a century old, the Hungarian film A Tanú (The Witness), written and directed by Péter Bacsó, remains at the forefront of daring must-see cinema when it comes to regional classics. The dark comedy, and searingly subversive satire of communist times, holds up and remains relevant to contemporary viewers, as evinced by a 2019 revival at the Cannes Film Festival, in the Cannes Classics section.

Telling the story of a hapless dam-keeper who accidentally becomes involved in one political scheme after another, Wikipedia summarises the film’s plot as such: The film features József Pelikán as a single father who previously participated in the WW2 communist movement of Hungary, but is now working as a dike-reeve. He meets an old friend from the underground communist movement, Zoltán Dániel, now a government official who fishes at the Danube, near the dike. Dániel falls in the river, and Pelikán rescues him and invites him to his home. While the two reminisce old times at Pelikán's home, the ÁVH suddenly appears. They received a "serious anonymous report" stating Pelikán committed an illegal act of slaughtering a pig for food. Dániel tries to save him by demonstrating to the ÁVH thugs how the loyal Pelikán hid him during the purging years before, but he unknowingly reveals the basement, where all the pork had been hidden.

Suppressed for many years — 10 in Hungary before its release — The Witness got its Stateside premier in New York only in 1981. Janet Maslin, the New York Times’ top film reviewer at the time, had this to say: Mr. Bacsó's brand of comedy is as stolid as Pelikan himself. But his jokes are broadly satisfying, and he launches his satirical swipes with a delightful lack of inhibition.

It’s hard to overstate how daring and trenchant The Witness was for its time. Kind of like Orwell writing Animal Farm from within the Soviet Union. For a longer, more in depth treatment of the politics behind The Witness, and its journey from Bacsó’s inception, to its place among international film classics, have a look at the wonderful National Film Institute of Hungary’s site, where the restoration manager wrote a long post on the topic. It was the hard work of the Institute that saw the restored and uncensored version of the film re-released.

Meanwhile, The Witness continues to accrue a cult following abroad, and serve as one of the rare truly hilarious satires of the Socialist era, made within that era. Have a look at the English language subtitled trailer to see what we mean.

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: In the Land of Blood and Honey

Jolie and Pitt in Esztergom. Photo by Villy - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org

In the wake of the Balkan conflict numerous books and films came out chronicling what will hopefully be the last ethnic cleansing in Europe. The recently released Balkan-themed film, In the Land of Blood and Honey, was directed by UN goodwill ambassador and occasional film star Angelina Jolie. When misunderstandings and political maneuverings found the film barred from locations in Serbia and Bosnia, Jolie turned to Hungary for authentic-looking locations.

Filmed in 2011 in locations that included ever-changeable Budapest and the quaint, overlooked town Esztergom, the romantic drama chronicles an affair between a Serbian man and Bosnian woman who stood on opposite ends of the conflict.

photo by Gábor Bejó (artbejo) via Wikipedia Commons

Esztergom, an embattled town filled with historical significance and diverse architectural styles, was an excellent choice as a stand-in for the Balkan locations. It is a little-known fact abroad that Esztergom was the capital of Hungary from the 10th to the mid-13th century. As such, it is loaded with historic sights.  First and foremost is the Danube, which winds around Esztergom, separating Hungary from Slovakia. The best view is from the Basilica, situated on top of a hill in the center of town. The structure radiates history, and was such a prominent part of regional religious culture that Ferenc (Franz) Liszt wrote The Mass of Esztergom to commemorate its opening in 1869.

Further enhancing its appeal as a Balkan substitute, Esztergom has one of the few mosques in Hungary, and, indeed, an Orthodox church founded by Serbian settlers back in 1770. The Öziçeli Hacci Ibrahim Djami Mosque is 400 years old, and though small, gives an Ottoman feel to the cityscape. After the Turkish were driven from Hungary, it was used as a granary, before falling into disrepair (though the pictures indicate that it may have undergone a recent renovation).

photo by Imoti95 via Wikipedia Commons

Other stand-out locations of interest include the former synagogue (now a technical school), the ruins of the castle (bombed in WWII), and the historic streets of Víziváros (Watertown) which, combined with the hilly castle ruins, look very Balkan indeed. As an area that has been inhabited since the Ice Age, Esztergom has both archeological digs and classical architecture.

In the Land of Blood and Honey may have come and gone from the theaters, but Esztergom remains: a largely untapped location filled with historical intrigue and classical beauty.

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: Romái Part (Roman Beach)

photo via Christo / Wikipedia Commons

With spring hitting full bloom here in Budapest, after a rainy April, the city’s many spots of natural beauty are turning green, and filling with weekenders and day-trippers. Nowhere is this more true than at Romái Part, Budapest’s verdant riverside version of a boardwalk.

Once half-jokingly referred to as the Riviera of Budapest, this stretch of riverbank restaurants, cafes and beaches is a summer ritual for many locals; a place where it is claimed you get the best fried fish and lángos (fried dough) in the city. And, importantly, Romái Part is within city limits, making it part of Budapest. It’s also worth noting that you can legally swim in the Danube at one of the re-opened beaches, something that hasn’t been allowed since 1973.

photo via Globetrotter19 / wikipedia commons

Occupying five kilometers along the northwest side of Budapest’s Danube, there is a retro/nostalgic mood to the area. Many of the buildings along the coast were built during the Socialist era, and several have been abandoned, giving urban adventurers places to explore. Along the promenade, local street food is favored over increasingly impinging foreign culinary trends. You can probably find a craft beer, but the men with prize beer bellies favor the local brew, which is widely available.

Once considered recreation for Socialist laborers, it’s increasingly the domain of hipsters and backpackers. But that hasn’t killed the retro vibe at Romái Part, a scenic location and splash of history within the city boundaries.

photo via Fortepan / wikipedia commons

photo via Fortepan / 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.

Hungarian Songstress Becomes FBI's Most Wanted

Though we are still missing a motive, it has come to light that a Hungarian musician has been chosen to be showcased on one of American’s most popular crime series, FBI. The suspect, Pátkai Rozina, with accomplice pianist Benkő Dávid, will be featured on an upcoming episode of the long-running show.

While it’s stilly unclear why the script called for a Hungarian song, Pátkai revealed to local news site 24.hu that the tune “Partokon” (“On the Coast”) was chosen from several other Hungarian candidates. The singer told the site (presented here through online translation): “I didn't think that my own Hungarian-language song would be performed live for the first time in the action scene of an American series, as performed by me.” Clues lead to a live performance of “On the Coast” being being played on the show.

The show FBI premiered on American network CBS in 2018 and has had solid ratings since, garnering between 11 and 13 million viewers per season. Given that Hungary’s population doesn’t reach 10 million, that’s quite some exposure for a song in the Hungarian language.

While this a huge opportunity, Pátkai is hardly provincial. The singer performs internationally, and indeed was already nominated for prizes in several categories at the US’s Independent Music Awards over several years.

While we have to wait to see the show, we don’t have to wait to hear the song. Find Partokon below, after which you are free to go.

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.

Photo by Zsólyomi Norbert via Wikicommons

Filmed in Hungary: Russian Doll

While we are taking a closer look at hit series (Stranger Things, The Continental) we would be doing a disservice to fans of quirky, mind-bending intrigue, if we didn’t touch on the latest season of smash Netflix series Russian Doll, which, predictably, was partially shot in Budapest.

But it wasn’t only for the cost-effectiveness that the series was shot here. Budapest plays an important role in the protagonist’s (Nadia, played by show creator Natasha Lyonne) past and in the storyline. In this time-lapse structured series, Nadia has Hungarian Jewish grandparents, and must return in time to reclaim the family fortune, lost in the Holocaust. As such, locations in Budapest are utilized in the story, and many local acting luminaries get speaking roles.

The script also calls for the leading actor, Lyonne, to speak fluent Hungarian. While locals find fault in her heavy American accent, they praise her for putting in the effort, as Hungarian is notoriously complex and difficult for English speakers to learn.

Towards the end of the trailer, you will see some classic Budapest locations, from Nyugati railway station, to the trippy Kelenföld Power Station. After the grungy shots of New York City, Budapest comes off looking very elegant and classical indeed.

Reviews have been thus far, very positive, with NBC News calling the second season ‘exhilarating’, and Rotten Tomatoes rating it a very juicy 96 / 100 in viewer satisfaction. In a longish think piece, The Atlantic had this to say: Season 2, which debuted on Netflix this week, is somehow even more ambitious, even denser with layers (“I don’t think you want to peel that onion,” Nadia tells a man in one scene who asks her who she is), allusions, and belly flops right into the temporal paradox. Instead of being trapped within loops of time, Nadia finds herself vaulting back into the past, via a mystical subway that sends her into the bodies of her mother and grandmother. The show’s examination of inherited trauma—Nadia’s grandparents, like Lyonne’s, were Holocaust survivors—through the Back to the Future–esque conceit of time travel seems ripe with potential.”

So, tune in, if you have the time, to see Budapest past and present, in one of its most challenging roles yet.

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.

Stranger Things Season Four: the Hungarian Connection

Few series have been picked over and anticipated by fans as much as the 80’s-themed Netflix juggernaut Stranger Things. And, finally, the wait is over for the fourth season, which will begin airing at the beginning of May this year.

At an estimated 30 million dollars per episode, the creators had the money to hire the best talent around, so it should come as no surprise that there are Hungarian fingerprints on the results. In this case, no stranger to high-profile projects, the Hungarian talent comes in the form of director Nimród Antal, who helmed episodes 5 and 6 of the series.

American born to Hungarian parents, the director’s breakout feature film was actually made in Budapest. Control (Kontroll), the story of the lives of Budapest metro ticket inspectors, was an art-house hit when it came out close to 20 years ago. Since then, Antal worked on the thriller Vacancy, the big-budget sequel to Predator, Predators, as well as Metallica’s hybrid concert / thriller Metallica Through the Never. The supernatural-themed series seems like a natural choice for a director who is so capable at telling human stories alongside high-octane action sequences.

This isn’t the director’s first foray into television, however, According to Hungary Today, “Stranger Things is not the first series Antal has directed: he has directed two television series before. He was a guest director on Wayward Pines (2015-2016), then a regular director for Servant (2019-).”

It’s been six years since Stranger Things premiered. With viewers lessening their reliance on streaming services as the pandemic wanes, only time will tell how much longer they will fund the expensive series. As for Antal, next up is the Liam Neeson-starring thriller Retribution, which IMDB describes as “A bank executive receives a bomb threat while driving his children to school that his car will explode if they stop and get out. A remake of the 2015 Spanish film El Desconocido.”

Below find the tension-filled trailer for Stranger Things 4.

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.

Wick-er Man: The Return of the John Wick Universe

After three enormously successful John Wick films, with a fourth coming next year, the creators made the move to expand the John Wick franchise and create a prequel series, telling the origin story of the enigmatic hotel manager, Winston (Played by Colin Woodell) and his hotel, the Continental. Appropriately, the spin-off will be called The Continental.

According to collider.com, “The Continental will serve as a prequel special to the John Wick blockbuster film franchise. Starring Hollywood good-guy Keanu Reeves, the base films follow a highly trained assassin on a mission to find those who killed his beloved dog and hold them responsible. During the titular character’s travels, viewers are taken to the Continental Hotel, a safe haven for assassins to get a good night’s rest. Run by the hotel’s owner, Winston (Ian McShane) the only rule inside the walls is no killing. Picking up decades in the past, The Continental will follow the story of young Winston, now played by Woodell, and how he fell into owning the hotel. The series sets the owner up in a gritty 1970s New York City as he takes on the Big Apple one guest at a time.”

And, of course, the series is being shot in Budapest, using sound stages, and locations around the city. But don’t expect to see Keanu Reeves sidling up to you at a thermal bath, as the series covers the time before his appearance in the John Wick universe. That being said, the filming did bring at least one major star to the city, in the form of Mel Gibson, who was spotted around town dining on gyros and signing autographs. The Mad Max and Lethal Weapon actor was also seen in the small town of Csopak wine-tasting, and toy shopping in art-hub Szentendre.

As the series is still being shot, stills and clips are hard to come by. None-the-less, there is a fan-made trailer circulating, which you can watch 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.

Been There Dune That: Hungarian Takes Home Statue for Dune

It’s the Oscar moment everybody is talking about. No, the other moment. When Hungarian Zsuzsanna Sipos brought home the Academy Award for Best Production Design for her work on the juggernaut fantasy remake of Frank Herbert’s book Dune. It is a category that has not seen a Hungarian winner since the year 1966, when ethnic Hungarian Joseph Kish won for the film Ship of Fools, while the last Oscar to go to a Hungarian was Kristóf Deák’s for Best Live Action Short in 2016.

Dune was for the most part filmed in Hungary, and featured a long roster of Hungarian crew and technicians. Hungarian Film Commissioner Csaba Káel issued a public congratulations to Sipos and the Hungarians who worked on the film, saying this: “A big congratulations to the Hungarian experts who have contributed to this world success. The entire profession is overjoyed at Zsuzsanna Sipos’ Oscar and it also goes to show that we have world-class talents. It also sends the message to the world that Hungarian filmmakers are among the best,”

via IMDM.com

It’s worth noting that Dune also won for Best Sound, a statue going to long-term Hungarian resident Mac Ruth, a Texan who moved to Budaepst in the 1990s, and has been working in film since. Ruth was previously nominated for The Martian, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and Blade Runner 2049; so it was a long time coming for this expat. Ruth was the production sound mixer of the winning team.

It is likely much of the team behind Dune will be reunited, as it was announced in January that Dune 2 will also be shot in Hungary, at Origo Studios.

And while we are speaking of winners, this blog took 19th place on Feedspot.com’s list of Best European Film Blogs. It’s the only Hungarian blog on the list, which also includes many blogs from the States that discuss European film. It doesn’t come with a statue, or much fame, but we are still pretty proud of that accomplishment around 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.

The Gay Hussar: The Story of the Most Famous Hungarian Restaurant Abroad

The Gay Hussar via Carcharoth / Wikipedia commons

While Hungarian cuisine has had some vocal champions abroad, notably George Lang in New York, it has yet to really catch on beyond the cliches of gulash and paprika. But for many years, even decades, one of the hottest eateries in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cites, was Hungarian.

The Gay Hussar was opened in London in the 1950s. One would think it the project of a Hungarian immigrant, but indeed it was founded by Victor Sassie, child of a Swiss sailor, and Welsh mother. His love for Hungary was engendered early in life, however, when at age 17 he interned at the world-famous Budapest restaurant Gundel. He stayed on for a full seven years, soaking up all he could about Hungarian cuisine, before returning to London to open the restaurant Budapest. This would transform into the Gay Hussar, which like so many Budapest coffee houses, became popular with writers and artists, not to mention left-wing politicians who went there to trade gossip and make off-the-record deals (so many that their circle was dubbed the ‘Tokay Trots’). It was the type of place TS Eliot would mix with Downing Street elites. According the the Guardian: “Since it opened in 1953 it has been a haunt and popular watering hole of politicians, writers and artists. Devoted regulars have included the Labour grandees Roy Hattersley and Michael Foot – who celebrated his 90th birthday there – and more recently Gordon Brown. Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams had a regular table on the first floor, where he would bellow out whispered titbits from his informants. Election victories have been celebrated there and sorrows and defeats drowned with copious amounts of Bull’s Blood.”

via Gay Hussar Facebook page

But as other, less fattening, and more eclectic cuisines rose to prominence, and long boozy lunches became looked down on, the Gay Hussar fell out of fashion, and was set to close in 2018. Plans to save the restaurant came to naught, until at the last minute, two London restaurateurs stepped in to keep the joint alive, albeit under a new name: Noble Rot. This of course refers to the Botrytis cinerea mould that makes sweet Hungarian Tokay dessert wine so delectable. So, while the new incarnation can hardly be called Hungarian, there are Hungarian influences throughout, particularly on the wine list, where some of Tokay’s boutique vineyards get showcased. And if there’s one thing that keeps the Hussars happy, it’s internationally sought-after dessert wine from Hungary.

via Gay Hussar Facebook 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 Budapest: the Rookies

Budapest, Hungary, has quickly accumulated the reputation as the go-to place for top-quality film production in Europe. The list of big-budget movies shot here includes Blade Runner 2049, Red Sparrow, Gemini Man, Black Widow, and so many more. The latest to join this list is the Milla Jovovitch-starring espionage film, the Rookies. What makes this film special, is that it didn’t originate in Hollywood, but in China.

Written and Directed by Alan Yuen (Firestorm), filming took place in both China and Hungary, and co-stars popular Taiwanese actor Wang Talu. Film site Rotten Tomatoes, which found the film not the freshest piece of produce, summarises the plot like this: An extreme sports athlete joins a mysterious special agent and her ragtag team of recruits to battle a group of deadly terrorists. A film that mixes spy elements with the daredevilry of extreme sport parkour, is a natural fit for Budapest, with its diverse settings and architecture.

While critics took the film to task over plotting and dialogue, there was almost universal praise for the use of Budapest as a setting. This from Daily Variety: “Technical aspects are clean and crisp, with some snazzy animations giving the film a much-needed boost. Hungary’s tourism authorities are sure to be delighted by ravishing photography of Budapest’s most beautiful sights.”

It helps that Budapest, in this case, is not being used as a stand-in for another city, but is the actual location it depicts, as a wealthy Hungarian who has somehow acquired the Holy Grail plays into the script. With elements of Mission Impossible and The Di Vinci Code, some critics wondered if the film bit off more than it could chew. Other critics have made a lot — good and bad — of the travelogue-like feeling to some sequences, that seem to be showcasing the city as much as the characters. Those who found the film itself lacking, gave high praise to the scenery.

While the Rookies didn’t exactly go pro at the box office, it did hi-light the growing interest from Asian countries like China in exploring Budapest as a filming location. Of course South Korean forays into Hungary have already been noted on this blog. It’s a trend we only hope will continue.

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.

Goodbye Lennon: The Life of A Hungarian Art Star

Sam Havadtoy

The latest great somewhat hi-brow Netflix series is the just-released The Andy Warhol Diaries. And while we haven’t made if far enough in to clock any Hungarian fingerprints, we do know enough about that scene to recall that there was a Hungarian prominently situated in the mix, in the form of gallerist and artist Sam Havadtoy.

Born to Hungarians in London in 1952, his family made the daring choice of returning to Hungarian soil a few years later. It wouldn’t be until 1971 that Havadtoy was able to depart the Bloc for London, via Yugoslavia. He eventually emigrated to the States, where he would found the influential Sam Havadtoy Gallery. It was there that he mixed with the likes of Warhol and Keith Haring, with John Lennon and his wife coming in to buy a pair of chairs. In time he would engage with Yoko Ono in a relationship that would last 20 years, and bring the singer/artist to Budapest on many extended occasions.

Sam Havadtoy, 18

Of his relationship with Ono, Havardoy told the New York Times, “Being with Yoko was like going through an extensive university course of life. And I was the only student. I may have taken too long. Maybe I failed at many courses, but finally I graduated and came into my own. Like going to university, it’s a period that you would never replace with anything else, but there’s no point in going back to it, it’s done.”

Of Havadtoy, Yoko Ono said, “An artist is born. I am touched by the magnificence of his work. He has dipped into the old Hungarian spirit and culture and created a work that is very now. It is Hungarian, very Sam Havadtoy and it’s beautiful.”

As an artist in his own right, Havadtoy contributed to some late works of Keith Haring, and showed his own work worldwide, including at Budapest’s Hungarian National Theatre and the Ludwig Museum. His work is playful and draws heavily on Disney iconography and political references, prefiguring Jeffrey Koons. After returning to Hungary to live, Havadtoy opened the gallery Gallery 56, and was able to introduce prominent international artists like Cindy Sherman, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Kiki Smith to a Budapest audience.

Havadtoy now splits his time between Hungary, where he has a studio in the artist enclave of Szentendre, and Liguria, Italy.

Lace duck by Sam Havadtoy

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.

Border Ties: Hungary Steps Up to Support Ukrainian Refugees

Photo by Elekes Andor, via Wikipedia Commons

The news over the past week has been devastating to everybody. But in Hungary, the direct effects of the war in Ukraine can be seen in the form of tens of thousands of refugees fleeing across the border our two countries share. While some have ethnic Hungarian blood, we also see Indian, African students who are transiting to their home countries. But the vast majority are everyday Ukrainians: mothers, children, and elderly.

Unsurprisingly, as a country no stranger to foreign aggression, the people of Hungary are responding with unprecedented support. This is mostly coming from individual Hungarians who are co-ordinating food and accommodation efforts at the border and in Budapest, as well as charitable organizations — most notably the The Hungarian Maltese Charity Service — and churches and religious organizations.

At the border town of Záhony, the first way station for many refugees, the Church Times in an article by writer Alex Faludy, reports: “While the local government has set up a small overnight facility at Záhony, Hungarian Baptist Aid (Hungary’s largest relief agency) has also created a reception facility, with sleeping accommodation, in the Rákóczi Ferenc Reformed Church High School in the village of Tiszabecs, a road and foot crossing 90km away from Záhony. The senior co-ordinator is an experienced aid worker and Baptist pastor, the Revd Lajos Révész.”

“People are volunteering here not only from the local Reformed Church, but from no church at all — this matters to everyone,” the article quoted the pastor as saying.

Volunteers from the border report such an abundance of material donations, that they are able to deliver good to the needy within Ukraine itself.

Photo by Pakkin Leung@Rice Post via Wikipedia Commons

The Hungarian government, in addition to aid and relief efforts, decreed that refugees from Ukraine are entitled to free travel on trains and busses throughout the country.

In Hungary, where politics are divisive as any place, the common goal of support for neighbours in need has broad support across all sections of society, economical and cultural. But as the Church Times posits, it is still early days, and such solidarity may be put to the test before long: “To date, the refugee situation in Hungary appears to be challenging, but manageable. There are worries, however, about the future. A particular concern is how things may worsen should the present line of Russian advance cut off escape routes over the long Polish and Romanian frontiers east of the Carpathians. This would leave the Subcarpathian region as the only safe corridor, and risk extraordinary pressure on its crossing, creating a humanitarian bottleneck.”

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.

Postcards from the Past: Fortepan Archive Receives Thousands of Historical Photos

Fortepan / FŐMTERV

Fortepan, a searchable archive of free-to-use photographs of Hungary though (photographable) history, has become something of a national treasure. With 162,615 photos to search from, the archive, founded in 2010, continues to grow as more private and public collections are made available.

The recent additions are described by the site as such: “Selected from the archive of FŐMTERV (Municipal Civil Engineering Design Company). The grand construction projects of the Kádár Era. Over-and underpasses in Budafok, Pesterzsébet, the streets of Zugló, markets, bus depots and blocs soon to be demolished. The archive of a large construction company, preserved in an exemplary manner.”

In more basic terms, this is a huge cache of photos from the 1950s - late 1970s, depicting daily life in and around Budapest, taken by , Endre Domonkos, a photographer for the above-mentioned construction company. The full collection comprises some 50,000 photos, and spans 40 years. As of now, 3000 have been donated to the Fortepan archive, with potentially more to come.

So, what you will see from these highlights is primarily construction-oriented, but there is still a richness and humanity evinced in the photographer’s subjects. To browse the entirety of the new acquisitions, have a look at the Fortepan page here.

Fortepan / FŐMTERV

Fortepan / FŐMTERV

Fortepan / FŐMTERV

Fortepan / FŐMTERV

Fortepan / FŐMTERV

Fortepan / FŐMTERV

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 Vibes: The Hungarian House of Music Opens in Budapest

Photo via ©LIGET-BUDAPEST_Palkó-György

Rising from Várósliget, Budapest’s grand City Park, is a structure that appears at once modern and in harmony with the greenery of its natural surroundings. Indeed, trees shoot through the airy roof of the slightly mushroom shaped building. This was part of the vision of Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who won the competition to design the Hungarian House of Music, the construction of which was completed only a few months ago. With an open air stage, interactive educational exhibits, and a pleasingly warm appearance, the project has been called an ‘instant landmark’.

But what is the purpose of this unique institution? In the Hungarian House of Music’s own words: It is our mission to promote music so that it would play a defining role in the lives of every family, child and young adult. We hope to achieve this through the nurturing and experience-based presentation of the values of Hungarian folk music, classical music, popular music and other genres of global music. We regard it as our task to build a community and cater to communal experiences. While nurturing traditions, we seek to create an institution distinguished by a progressive approach coupled with the spirit of experimentation and discovery, providing outstanding quality in every respect.

photo via ©LIGET-BUDAPEST_Mohai-Balázs

photo via magyarzenehaza.com

photo via ©LIGET-BUDAPEST_Palkó-György

Under the auspices of the Liget Budapest Project, which is bringing multiple museums, and other renovations to the beloved City Park, the House of Music is the first of the cultural institutions to open. The project is already generating international buzz, with Culture Trip naming the Hungarian House of Music one of the ‘Greatest Travel Experiences’ to anticipate in 2022.

Have a look at the promotional video, which features shots of the structure and architect Sou Fugimoto discussing the project, giving an international take on the distinctly Hungarian project.

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 Theatrical Appeal of Ignác Semmelweis, Renegade Scientist

The story of Hungarian doctor Ignác (or Ignáz) Semmelweis is one that has been long overdue in the telling. A tragic visionary, the doctor’s name has been in the news in these past few years, as he was the first scientist to suggest invisible bacteria and viruses are responsible for deaths during surgery, and doctors should sanitise their skin before performing operations. Basically, every time you sanitise your hands, you can thank Semmelweis for his insights into how dangerous germs are spread.

Writer/actor Mark Rylance, winner of the 2015 Best Actor Award for his role in Bridge of Spies, decided to get his hands dirty and open up the subject of the doctor’s life at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre, in Bristol England. His musical play—written with Stephen Brown—now running, has been an enormous success. An article by Hungarian news-site Telex reports that his work about Semmelweis—simply entitled Dr. Semmelweis—is currently enjoying a sold out four-week run, with Rylance also in the lead role.

The writers gave themselves a lot to work with, in terms of drama and tragedy. Like many reformers and great thinkers, Semmelweis was far enough ahead of his time that nobody took his greatest theories seriously. Refusing to back down in the face of the academy, and suffering from minor undiagnosed ailments, the great doctor found himself a patient in an insane asylum, where he died — from an infection, ironically — at age 47. When Louis Pasteur proved Semmelweis correct, the term ‘Semmelweis Reflex’, which Wikipedia defines as “a metaphor for a certain type of human behavior characterized by reflex-like rejection of new knowledge because it contradicts entrenched norms, beliefs or paradigms,” was coined. Of course, now it is a given that doctors wash their hands and sterilize equipment. But those notions were soundly rejected on the basis that the infecting agent was not visible to the human eye.

Rylance told Telex of how he discovered Semmelwies’s gripping story: It all started when I came across a book about the life of Semmelweis by Céline (French novelist Louis-Ferdinand Céline). It's a very, very angry book, that painted Semmelweis as a kind of martyr, done in by the medical world he failed to persuade. And then when we started to work on the play, Stephen (Stephen Brown, co-writer of Dr Semmelweis) brought in a book written by an American surgeon called Sherwin B. Nuland, and this was a much more objective historical account. That was where we realised that it wasn't just the authorities who were the problem, but that Semmelweis himself would get very angry and offensive when people didn't understand what he was saying. So these two books were our starting point.

In the extensive interview, he reports that despite the pandemic-influenced short run of the play, there is interest in mounting it for a longer run in London, and, not surprisingly, at the National Theatre in Budapest. How refreshing it would be to see the life of a darkhorse national hero come to life through the eyes of a an Englishman, who rolled up his sleeves and no doubt, washed his hands, before getting to work on what looks to be a dramatic and entertaining telling of Semmelweis’s life.

Semmelweis 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.

Retro Nostalgia: Hungarian Film Csinibaba Turns Twenty-five

Twenty-five years ago, a small film was released in Hungary that was unlike much that came before it, and is still celebrated as a cornerstone of local film history. Csinibaba, which was shown elsewhere with the awkward translation of Dollybirds, was an instant classic, and while it never got a fair shot at an international audience, is much beloved by devoted Hungarian and non-Hungarian audiences.

A musical that showcases the kitschy side of 1962 Socialist Budapest, Csinibaba tells the story of a down-and-out band trying to make it to the West by winning a showcase. But really the story is secondary to the hilarious set-pieces that take advantage of Budapest’s very particular Socialist style, in its ‘presszo’ cafes, dance halls, and public spaces. It is a film that precociously utilises a nostalgia for a recent era, when bananas were a delicacy and Western styles were trendy and subversive.

Directed by Péter Timár and written by Gyula Márton, the film was a critical and commercial success locally upon release. Shot with the camera running at half speed, the actors had to slow down their action, which gave them their particular marionette-like movements on screen. It’s hard to parse whether the unique tone to Csinibaba is satire, parody, or in line with more traditional 1960s musicals. One critic put it like this, “Csinibaba is a musical film, a parody of the ‘still popular’ musical films of the sixties, but also a satire of the nineties dating back to the sixties”. That may sound complicated, but the film is anything but. In short: it’s a simple delight.

You don’t need to speak Hungarian to appreciate the humor and style of Csinibaba, now happily 25 years old. Just have a look at the clip, and it will all make sense.

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.

Bambi and the Unlikely Hungarian Origins of a Film Classic

‘Children’s literature’ is not one of the first phrases that comes to mind when thinking of Hungary’s cultural impact on the world. But one of the last century’s most enduring films, was based on a children’s book written by a Hungarian. Everybody knows the story of Bambi. Few in the Western world grew up without having seen the Walt Disney animated feature film at one point in their childhood. Bambi is one of the highest grossing animated film in history, and a cultural touchstone. Few know, however, that the source material, the book Bambi, Bambi: the Story of a Life in the Forest, was written by a man named Felix Salten, born Siegmund Salzmann in Budapest under the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.

Salzmann’s parents moved to Vienna, which precipitated the name change, when the writer was quite young. Salten showed early talent for writing, and was part of the Young Vienna movement, publishing his first collection of short stories in 1901. Sometime later, in 1923, he would write Bambi, originally intended as a parable of the dangers Jews faced throughout Europe. Indeed, Hitler would have the book banned in 1936. That was three years after the film rights were sold, first to American film director Sidney Franklin, then on to Walt Disney, who would release the film at the height of World War Two.

That wasn’t the end of Salten’s relationship with Hollywood. His stories were also source material for he films Perri (1957) and The Shaggy Dog (1959). His sequel to Bambi, Bambi’s Children: The Story of a Forrest Family, has yet to be adapted to film, though last year a ‘photorealistic computer-animated remake’ of the original Bambi was announced to be in the works.

Bambi — in both print and film form — continues to be a cultural touchstone around the world, with its universal themes of loss and perseverance. In times of intolerance, and divide, the timeless parable continues to be as relevant as is was when it was written so long ago.

Felix Salten 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.

Budapest 1916: Memories in Colour

We may think of our phone cameras and readily available media as a symptom of the modern era, but people from a century ago were also interested in recording the sundry happenings of the day. We are lucky in that there are a number of old tourist films of Budapest, showing life in the city, and letting the 21st century viewer see what’s changed, and what hasn’t.

Below, we have an old film of Budapest (from the Hungarian National Film Archive) with an added treat: it’s colorized. The 1916 clip, which has been making its way around social media as of late, features shots of the grand Parliament, Fisherman’s Bastian, and a wonderfully chaotic Oktogon junction, where trams seem to be running off the tracks, and there’s not a traffic light to be seen.

The biggest surprise here is actually to discover how little the cityscape has changed. Much of the 100-plus year old scenery is now as it was then. Though World Wars One and Two decimated parts of the city, it’s hard to tell from this footage. The first bridge you see: Margit Bridge, would be destroyed twice, and rebuilt, at least once with material recovered from the bottom of the Danube. The second bridge: the Chain Bridge, would also be destroyed in WWII, but rebuilt soon-thereafter.

The video gives a whole new — or old — slant to film production in Budapest. So enjoy this little TikTok from the days of yore, which confirms the adage: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

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: Escape Room, Tournament of Champions

Though some credit the phenomena of the ‘escape room,’ (where a group needs to solve clues to escape an enclosed space) with Hungarian origin, the first concept of the escape room surfaced in the US, to be followed soon thereafter by more sophisticated rooms in Japan. It is true, however, that Hungary was an early adapter, and brought the escape room to Europe. Budapest even hosted the Escape Room World Championship in 2017 due to the popularity and variety of the escape rooms in the country. These days, Budapest seems to have an escape room on each block.

It’s no surprise that the concept spawned a horror film franchise, and — with the amount of film production in Budapest — also no surprise that at least a portion of one of the Escape Room movies was filmed in Hungary. The first Escape Room was filmed in South Africa, and was a hit for Columbia Pictures. The sequel, however, was in part filmed at the sound stages of Origo Studios, just outside of Budapest, the place where films such as Dune, Gemini Man, and Mars also were filmed. Taking advantage of Origo’s 10 stages (8 soundstages, 2 VFX/multimedia stages) and state-of-the-art equipment, the 15 million dollar Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, went on to gross over 50 million dollars worldwide.

But don’t expect to see any of Budapest in the film. New York subways, an ornate hotel lobby, and even a beach, were recreated by expert crews and technicians. Time will tell if a third instalment will be shot, and if Buapest will play an expanded role in the production. Until then, there is no shortage of escape rooms to keep us occupied. Maybe we can find a clue in the theatrical trailer to Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, 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.

Hungarian Chill: the Secret of Hungarian Ice Wine

Photo by Dominic Rivard via Wikipedia Commons

Few who visit Budapest and Hungary to take advantage of favourable film service production environment leave without sampling a few hard-to-find Hungarian wines. In fact, most Hungarian wines are hard to find, because the majority are produced by small and mid-sized wineries, owned by families rather than corporations.

Perhaps one of the rarest of local tipples is Hungarian ice wine. While Tokaj is famous for its dessert wines, they are at least backed by a long tradition and a world-wide reputation. But in this climate of global warming, it’s ice wine that is more difficult to find.

Just what is ice wine? As its name implies, the beverage is made from grapes that have been pressed while still frozen. Recent years have been particularly lean for the variety, as the grape should be harvested at colder than - 8 degrees Celsius, a temperature Hungary is hitting less and less frequently when the grape is at its best: late November and early December. Countries like Canada and Germany have better climates, and lead the field in ice wine production. It should be noted that the Riesling grape is typically used in Hungary for ice wines, which are known for their clean, sweet flavour.

This doesn’t mean there isn’t excellent ice wine in Hungary. Experts point to the Hajós-Baja wine region as well as the Villány region as sources of outstanding Hungarian ice wine, as well as the traditional areas for Hungarian white wine: Tokaj and north of Lake Balaton.

While this complex dessert wine is hardly Hungaricum, it does fit well on the shelf with classic Tokaj Aszú sweet wines, and particularly welcome when you want something a bit less toothsome. So, here’s to celebrating these winter months, where we make the best with what we’ve got. In this case, excellent grapes and skilled wine makers.

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.