Hungarian/Slovak Co-Production Sci-Fi Film to Compete at Berlinale

via the White Plastic Sky official site

This week marks the commencement of the 73rd Berlinale, the prestigious annual film festival that runs in Berlin, Germany. This year will see an adventurous entry in the form of a Hungarian/Slovak co-production entitled White Plastic Sky, an animated science fiction feature.

The film, partially funded by the Hungarian National Film Institute, is the latest effort from the Hungarian creative team of Tibor Bánóczki and Sarolta Szabó, both graduates of Budapest’s famous Moholy-Nagy University of Art. While White Plastic Sky is their feature-length debut, their previous shorts: Les Conquérants and Leftover were met with acclaim and screened at venues like the Sundance FIlm Festival; both being short-listed for the César Award.

Daily Variety, which reported on the film’s inception way back in 2018, summarized the plot as such, “White Plastic Sky takes place in Budapest in 2220. The soil of the earth hasn’t been fertile for 100 years, causing the extinction of wildlife. In Budapest, the survivors are sheltered in a large bubble that protects them from the ultraviolet light and pollution. The future of humanity relies on a mysterious plant created from genetic experiments that people must absorb by the age of 50, leading them to transform themselves into plants. The story is told through the lives of a young couple, Stefan and Nora, who are grieving the loss of their son.”

via the White Plastic Sky official site

via the White Plastic Sky official site

The stills and trailer — below — display striking and detailed animation work, compliments of the painstaking rotoscope technique used to draw the characters one frame at a time. The Berlinale is an ideal venue for screening, as it’s a festival known for being both artistically adventurous and political. White Plastic Sky is both.

The film-makers were quoted in Budapest Reporter as saying: “We are delighted and honored to have our film debut at the Berlinale, one of the world’s most prestigious festivals, in the Encounters section, which is specifically designed to showcase innovative films that seek new perspectives and depart from the traditional. The work of many, many people over many years is finally being brought to the audience, and we are excited both for the festival and for the Hungarian premiere at the end of March.”

Below is the intense Hungarian language trailer 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.

Filmed in Hungary: FBI International

With series like Russian Doll and Homeland being partially filmed in Budapest, it’s no surprise that more recent shows that center on international crime have alighted upon our shores to take advantage of the favourable filming conditions and spectacular locations. One of the more recent is the American series FBI International, which is currently in its third season.

The premise, according to Wikipedia, is as follows: “The series follows members of the FBI's international "Fly Team", elite Special Agents headquartered in Budapest who locate and neutralize threats against American interests around the world principally in Europe.” The series follows the increasing trend of Budapest being used as a location in its own right, and not as a stand-in for another European city (as seen in Homeland, for instance).

In its time here, the show has taken full advantage of historically great locations, and found a few new ones as well. From Budapest’s Fisherman’s Bastion (see clip below) to the Chain Bridge and Liberty Bridge, to the Great Market Hall and ‘distant’ places like historic downtown Szkésfehérvár, a small city southwest of Budapest, and Szeged, a city near the Serbian border.

via CBS

While many of the plotlines focus on kidnappings, bombings and espionage that take place in Budapest — Poland, Czech Republic, and other European cities like Paris are also featured.

This comes at a time when Hungary is seeing historic rises in revenue from the film industry. As reported in local film news source Budapest Reporter: “The Hungarian film industry’s revenues are at an all-time high, exceeding HUF 250 billion, a 20% increase compared to last year, according to Csaba Káel, government commissioner for the advancement of the Hungarian film industry and chairman of the board of the National Film Institute.

“Budapest has recently become Europe‘s biggest film production base after London, with top producers shooting with the world’s biggest stars. The same professionals who worked with Ridley Scott, for example, are available for Hungarian productions,” said Káel in an interview with Hungarian news outlet Origo.”

It doesn’t take an international investigation to conclude that filming in Budapest and Hungary just makes good 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.

Lyon King: Hungarian Cuisine (almost) Conquers France

photo via The Budapest Times

Hungarian cuisine: if you are familiar with it, that usually means you live in Hungary, or have Hungarian heritage. With the exception of international staples like paprikás or gulyás (goulash) it’s not widely known abroad. You can put this down to health trends (Hungarian can be lard-heavy) and the relatively small emigrant populations, who — if we can generalize — tend to assimilate into their adopted culture.

That’s a long-winded introduction to get the welcome news that the Hungarian team came home from one of the most prestigious fine-dining competitions in the world having won third place. The Bocuse d’Or is named for French legend Paul Bocuse, who did a lot to solidify France’s reputation as having the international cuisine to beat in terms of fine dining.

photo via the BOCUSE D'OR FINAL 2023 Facebook page

This year’s competition, held in Lyon, France, was participated in by twenty-four countries, with the Hungarian team headed by coach Tamás Széll and a team comprised largely of chefs from Széll’s Michelin star restaurant, Budapest-based Stand. It’s important to note that of all the Michelin-star restaurants in Budapest, Stand’s menu is closest to traditional Hungarian cuisine, and even features gulyás.

While perennial favorites Denmark and Norway took the top two places — Scandinavian cuisine has been having quite an extended moment — Hungary topped recent winner USA, not to mention strong teams from Japan and Mexico.

via the BOCUSE D'OR FINAL 2023 Facebook page

It’s worth noting that in a relatively short time, Hungarian cuisine and the local dining scene have risen from the imagination-killing Socialist regime that saw recipes and innovation pounded down to its industrial basics. Hungary now has many destination restaurants, and teams like Széll’s to represent Hungarian cuisine on an international platform. It may have won bronze, but it certainly has come the farthest, the fastest.

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 Abroad: Max Herz, an Architect in Cairo

photo by Zoltan Horvath.

While Budapest and Hungary are known for their spectacular breadth of architectural styles and ambitious, ornate buildings, it’s important to note that great feats have been accomplished abroad as well. We are thinking of late Max Herz, a Jewish Hungarian who settled in Cairo, Egypt, and before the outbreak of WWI was instrumental in renovating and preserving any number of Egyptian landmarks and monuments.

Born Miksa Herz in Ottlaka Hungary (now Romania), in 1856 to a poor family, Herz would eventually make his way north to Budapest for university, and study architecture at Budapest’s Technical University and Vienna’s Technical College. Like many youth, he was restless and took to travelling, first to Italy, and finally down to Egypt.

Despite his foreign nationality and his young age, Herz was invited by the head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to stay on in Egypt and join a department that oversaw the renovation of the country’s landmark mosques, a post he would keep for 25 years, until the outbreak of World War One, when the British would oust him as ‘enemy alien.’

But in Egypt, he held significant influence and oversaw the renovation of any number of important Egyptian landmarks. According to Wikipedia, “on account of his qualification, experience, the devotion to his job, his capacity for work and last but not least his position, Herz played a decisive role in the Comité, which soon extended the sphere of its activities to monuments of Coptic architecture too. (The preservation of monuments of ancient Egyptian [pharaonic] architecture was the task of a different government agency.) Max Herz filled this post for a quarter of a century (1890–1914), and in this capacity he played an outstanding role in the preservation of monuments of Arab-Islamic and Coptic architecture.”

Such examples include:

The Fatimid gate of Bab Zuwayla with the twin minarets of the adjoining mosque of Sultan al-Muayyad Shaykh. Via Wiki Commons

The Aqmar Masque, via Wikipedia Commons.

The interior of Sultan Qalaun's mausoleum after restoration. Via Wikipedia Commons

Sultan Qayitbay's funerary mosque after restoration. Via Wikipedia Commons

Pulpit in Sultan Barquq's mosque, renovated by Max Herz. Via Wikipedia Commons.

While Herz never returned to Hungary to live, he considered himself a patriot until his death in Switzerland in 1919. As his wife wrote upon his death, "Looking death straight in the face with noble calmness of mind, he remained to his last breath a caring husband, a tender father to his daughters, and a true son – consumed by sorrow and grief – of his dearly beloved Hungarian fatherland.” This did of course refer to the war, which not only ousted him from Egypt, but kept him from returning to his beloved Hungary.

His hard work and expertise live on in Egypt, and have been viewed by countless locals and tourists. At one point the Hungarian government made efforts to elevate Herz’s status to that of royalty, but that too was halted by the war. His modest grave is in Milan, Italy, with his family.

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: Hungarian State Opera

Photo by By PDXdj via Wiki Commons

It is a prominent spot on any tourist’s itinerary, and a much-loved piece of the Budapest cityscape. What’s more, it is actually a historical site that is used continually throughout the year, hosting one of the most prestigious opera companies in the world. We are, of course, talking about the Budapest Opera House, also known by its more formal title, the Hungarian State Opera House.

Commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph when Hungary was still part of the Austo-Hungarian Empire, the construction took 10 years to complete and opened in 1884: it was then called the Hungarian Royal Grand Opera. The emperor’s involvement probably accounts for the royal stairway, which is off to the side, by the still-existing ramp for horse-drawn carriages. The architect, Miklós Ybl (also responsible for the St. Stephen’s Basilica), planned the Opera House in neo-Renaissance style, in line with the prevailing taste of the age. The first director was Ferenc Erkel, composer of the Hungarian National Anthem. His position was later filled by an up-and-coming young composer named Gustav Mahler.

Photo by Chad K via Wikipedia Commons

The interior was designed to produce acoustics suitable for world-class singers. Indeed, in a recent study by a group of sound engineers, the Budapest Opera House was determined to have the third best acoustics in all of Europe, following Paris and Milan.

The decoration of  the Opera is a sumptuous affair. Over 7 kg of gold went into the gilded interior, which is adorned with over a hundred statues and paintings. Frescos and mosaics greet the opera-goer in the ornate, luxurious grand front hall.  But this is not just a luxury for the rich. It was designed with the people in mind, and is still affordable these days: about ten euro will get you a ticket, though you can spend much less if you want to sit in the upper balcony.

Photo by Chad K via Wikipedia Commons

The Opera House was renovated in the late 1990s and again in 2022, and it shines with the splendor of a polished jewel.

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

Will Wednesday Arrive Soon? Popular Series Rumoured to Be Filmed in Hungary

Wednesday, which is currently one of Netflix’s most popular series, has been making sounds about filming some of its second season in Hungary, moving production from their original Romanian locations. Though nothing is confirmed, the move would not be surprising, as the series’ immense popularity indicates that it may be around for multiple seasons, and many long-running series have found a home with the expert production offered in and around Budapest, including Tom Clancey’s Jack Ryan and FBI: International.

And, while the entire first season of Wednesday was filmed outside Hungary, there were still many Hungarian connections to the work, as reported by local source Daily News Hungary. For starters, while the main character, Wednesday, herself is played by American actor Jenna Ortega, her younger primary school-age self is played by Hungarian moppet Karina Váradi. And, moreover, the same outfit that helped score the pandemic smash Squid Game — Budapest Scoring — was also tasked specifically by Wednesday director Tim Burton with the music for the series.

Professional reasons aside, Wednesday — a dark spinoff from Charles Addams-inspired TV show The Addams Family, and the film of the same name which starred Christina Ricci as Wednesday — just seems to fit Hungary. With its gothic themes, it would be at home with projects that have already taken advantage of Budapest and Hungary’s naturally atmospheric locations, from the reboot of The Munsters to cult-classic vampire film Underworld.

So, time will tell if Wednesday indeed arrives in Hungary for season two and beyond. Until then, creep out to the trailer.

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.

New Hungaricum: Teqball Scores Big in Home Country

Natalia Guitler / Teqball via Wikipedia Commons, photo by WynWork

Hungaricum is defined as “a collective term indicating a value worthy of distinction and highlighting within a unified system of qualification, classification, and registry and which represents the high performance of Hungarian people thanks to its typically Hungarian attribute, uniqueness, specialty and quality.” In simpler terms, it’s something particularly Hungarian that represents the culture at home and abroad. Things like gulyás soup, Zsolnay porcelain, and the fruit brandy pálinka. Every year, a few cultural artifacts are added to the list.

This year is unique in that Teqball, which only came into existence in 2012, has in record time achieved the distinction of being designated a Hungaricum. Indeed, many people still don’t know what Teqball is, or if they do, that it originated in Hungary. But unsurprisingly, Hungarians can add this sport to their long list of inventions.

What exactly is Teqball? It’s a kind of combination of football technical skills and ping-pong. According to the sport’s official site: Teqball is a football-based sport, played on a specially-curved table (the Teq table), which is attracting a new generation of athletes and amateur enthusiasts (teqers), whose ambition is to develop their technical skills, concentration and stamina. The sport, which was created in Hungary in 2012 is a truly gender-equitable game, as the rules define that teqball shall be played between two (singles) or four players (doubles), irrespective of gender. The sport follows a points-based scoring format and can be played on various surfaces such as sand, acrylic or indoors. Teqball allows players a maximum of three touches before returning the ball to the opponent, so if you can juggle a football three times, you will excel at teqball as well. Teqball is the purest use of a football, with the rule of no physical contact allowed between the players, or between the players and the table, helping eliminate the risk of impact injuries.

Teqball had been very successful since its inception, with over 2000 clubs established worldwide, and organized tournaments and world championships. It may be only a matter of time before it makes a bid as an Olympic sport. Not surprisingly, Hungarian players dominate the rankings, but the USA, Serbia, and Brazil also make strong showings in the Teq world.

But enough chit-chat. Below is an extended rally from an exciting Teqball match.

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.

Dance with the Devil: Sátantangó Makes Mark

Even those with but a passing interest in the film world this week were made aware of a film called Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, by Belgian director Chantal Akerman, when it was named the greatest film of all time by the British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound poll, conducted every decade. Critics and other experts participated in the poll, ensuring that it is less populist than the taste of the average film fan, who wouldn’t have heard of many of the films on the list.

Another challenging film consistently lauded on the Sight & Sound poll sits at number 78, the only film on the list that was shot in Hungarian (though Hungarian director Michael Curtiz landed at number 65 with classic Casablanca). The film, Sátántangó, has a special place in hardcore film lovers’ hearts. At over seven hours long, shot in black and white with long ponderous takes (150, according to the director), it is as rigorous a film as any on the list. (While at over seven hours, it is actually not the longest film on the list. That would be Shoah, which clocks in at 9 1/2 hours long.)

Directed by iconic Hungarian film-maker Béla Tarr, Sátántangó was released in 1994. It would take some time for it to catch on, or perhaps for viewers to find the opportunity to see it in the pre-streaming era, as it failed to capture a spot on the 2002 poll. Based on a novel of the same name by Hungarian uber-literary writer László Krasznahorkai, the plot revolves around a failing collective farm in the Hungarian countryside. The director had to wait many years, until the regime change, to begin filming due to political themes and the repressive environment in Hungary.

Immediately and fervently embraced by critics, the film has also been a hit with art-house viewers, garnering an almost unheard-of 100 % approval rating on the film site Rotton Tomatoes. Cultural critic and novelist Susan Sontag was quoted as saying Sátántangó was "devastating, enthralling for every minute of its seven hours," adding she would be "glad to see it every year for the rest of [her] life." High praise for any film.

Below find the English language trailer for Sátántangó, long may it thrive.

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.

Building Bridges: Stunning Chain Bridge Video Captures Viewers

The Chain Bridge via Wiki Commons

It was brought to our attention by news-source Daily Hungary, that the Hungarian trade magazine Magyar Építők (Hungarian Builders) has a particularly cool You Tube channel, which covers videos of the construction and reconstruction of local structures, from monuments to bridges and castles.

Their recently posted video (below) is particularly compelling. Therein you can find the still-under-renovation Lanc Híd (Chain Bridge) in Budapest being tested for its load capacity with 24 trucks, weighing 20 tons each. That all the trucks are new and painted in a uniform green has a striking effect, looking like the shoot of some dystopian film.

The test signals the approach of the bridge’s reopening - for vehicles in December 2022 and for pedestrians in August 2023. The bridge has long been a staple location for local and international films, being featured in the films Spy (2015), Gemini Man (2019), I Spy (2002), Gloomy Sunday (1999), and many more.

But it’s worth pointing out that there is also a film (Híd Ember, or Bridgeman) about the man who was responsible for the bridge’s initial construction, Count István Széchenyi (indeed, the bridge’s official name is the Széchenyi Bridge). With the plans of British engineer William Tierney Clark, and supervised Scottish engineer Adam Clark, the bridge was completed a decade after its inception. At the time, the Chain Bridge was the second-longest suspension bridge ever built and proved one of the age’s great engineering feats. The bridge served to connect Buda and Pest, and brought the two separate communities into economic competition with one another, spurring huge growth for the city on a whole.

We doubt even Széchenyi could have imagined 24 green trucks rolling across his bridge, but we’re here with the video to prove it. So, without further adieu.

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.

Michelin Guide Visits Budapest, Leaves Behind Stars

via the Platan FB page

It’s that time of the year. No, not the impending holiday season, though it is a kind of Christmas for the culinary-minded. November 3rd is of course when the Michelin Guide is published and reveals which local restaurants got or retained a coveted star, and which got left behind.

In a first, the guide has surveyed all of Hungary, not just Budapest. This yielded great results for the country. And surprising ones, for a restaurant in the berg of Tata won two stars. A restaurant in Esztergom also won a star, and six in Budapest also were awarded a star, and there is one two-star restaurant in the city.

Hungary’s two-star restaurants are Tata’s Platan, and Budapest’’s Stand. Single stars were awarded to Babel, Budapest; Borkonyha, Budapest; Costes, Budapest; Essência, Budapest; Rumour, Budapest; and Salt, Budapest. In Esztergom, the restaurant 42 received the honor of a star.

Receiving a Bib Gourmand - reserved for lower priced eateries, were Anyukám Mondta in Encs, Casa Christa in Balatonszőlős, Kistücsök in Balatonszemes, Macok in Eger, Mór24 in Balatonfüred, and Sparhelt in Balatonfüred.

Below, we’ve included a visual tour of some of the honored restaurants. Bon appetit!

via the 42 Esztergom FB page

via the Babel FB page

via the Bor Konyha FB page

via the Stand FB Page

via the essência, Budapest FB page

via the Salt FB page.

via the Costes 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: The Munsters 2022

via the @rodzombieofficial Instagram account

Hungary has seen its share of horror movies and series filmed in the country in recent years. Projects include the very popular Witcher series and films Don’t Breathe, Underworld, World War Z, and the acclaimed folk-horror film Midsommer. State-of-the-art technology used by local studios, low production costs, and the naturally spooky atmosphere one can find in this part of the world make conditions ideal for production of the genre.

While The Munsters isn’t horror — it’s more of a comic comment on the genre’s conventions — the recently released reboot of the tv show found a safe space for production in Hungary as the pandemic wound down, and restrictions were relaxed. An update of the hugely successful 1960s show, The Munsters was directed by Rod Zombie, whose previous forays into horror included House of 1000 Corpses and the Halloween remake.

Budgeted at around 40 million dollars, the film is loaded with visual effects and custom-built sets, including a reconstruction of the famous Munster family home on Mockingbird Lane, in all its haunted glory. It’s reported that Zombie originally wanted The Munsters filmed in black and white, like the show, but was convinced that color was the way to go after re-envisioning the characters as “cartoon characters come to life” once he’d seen them in full makeup.

set via via the @rodzombieofficial Instagram account

set via via the @rodzombieofficial Instagram account

While the Netflix-release feature-length film has received mixed reviews for its script and direction, the technical production got high marks from several critics, including a glowing notice from Rogerebert. com: “few movies this year have as much color in every composition, nor as much care put into navigating the beautifully-silly-but-expertly-crafted sets. Zombie and director of photography Zoran Popovic use every trick in the book, both guilelessly iconoclastic (stab zooms for punchlines, shaky, handheld dutch tilts during scenes of chaos) and tightly assured (the camera practically floats around corridors and down stairs). It’s a preposterously pretty movie, laying its every impulse on the table like a hand of cards.”

You can see The Munsters now on Netflix, buy it on Blu-ray, or just enjoy the trailer 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.

Culture Corner: Hungarian Winemaker Wins Big in Italy

via the Szepsy FB page

Hungary is increasingly known for its dynamic and lovingly crafted wines. That being said, many Hungarian wineries are still family affairs and quite small, allowing for limited opportunities for export. This means Hungarian fine wine is one of our best-kept secrets.

But when Hungarian wines get noticed, they really get noticed. For example, at this year’s Golden Vine Awards, the Szepsy Winery won top prizes for Best Fine WIne Producer in Europe and its owner/winemaker István Szepsy Senior won a Golden Vines Hall of Fame Award.

via the Szepsy FB page

The charity awards event was held in Florence, Italy, from 15 to 17 October 2022, having previously taken place in London. Billed as an ‘Oscars-style ceremony’ presided over by industry experts and Michelin star chefs, it’s an all-star affair designed to benefit diversity and education programs, and underwritten by the Gérard Basset Foundation.

via the Szepsy FB page

Szepsy is not a new phenomenon in Hungary, however. His Mád (Tokaj) located winery has long been renowned for its traditional and daring takes on Tokaj Aszú and Furmint. Many consider Szepsy the gold standard for white wine from the region. If you want to know why, have a look at the English-language subtitled video below. It explains a lot about the vineyard’s long history in the region and the challenges they endured over centuries to achieve such distinction.

* based on reporting by Hungary Today

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.

Béla Lugosi, Hungary's 'Ageless' Dracula Turns 140

image via Wikipedia Commons

Halloween and All Souls Night are both coming up fast, and with that in mind, we want to remind you that not only was the film and book of Dracula based in Hungarian-ruled Transylvania, but the actor who originated the role of Dracula, Béla Lugosi, was also Hungarian. And, as it happens, the allegedly late actor recently turned 140 years old. Still a household name, Lugosi is far and away the best-remembered Dracula, the benchmark for all vampires to come. In his honour, we’ve collected some lesser-known bits of Dracula trivia.

1) The first film based on Bram Stoker’s book, The Death of Dracula, was made in Budapest. It’s true. Even film buffs typically credit Nosferatu as being the first adaptation, but in 1921, The Death of Dracula was released, starring a mostly Hungarian cast, and directed Károly Lajhay and co-written by Michael Curtiz, of Casablanca fame. This is considered to be a ‘lost film,’ with no reels known to be in existence.

2) Vlad the Impaler, the Wallachian ruler who was the influence for Dracula, spent many years under house arrest in Budapest, when he was considered to be a liability to the Hungarian monarchy. Don’t feel too bad for him, as the house was the Buda Castle, where his jailor, King Mattias Corvinus, resided.

3) 1978 saw the release of the B horror film Zoltan, Hound of Dracula. Zoltan, for those who don’t know, is a traditional Hungarian name, allegedly left over from Ottoman times. The film starred Michael Pataki – the actor’s last name also speaks of Hungarian ancestry.

Image via Wikipedia Commons

4) Bram Stoker never visited Transylvania, but rather relied on library books, travelogues, and lectures to recreate the mystical area, which seems fitting, because Vlad the Impaler was not originally from Transylvania either. Wallachia gets the distinction of being the birth place of this sadistic stick in the mud.

5) Béla Lugosi couldn’t speak English when he was cast in the Hollywood version of Dracula. He wasn’t even the first choice for the part; that would have been Lon Cheney, who couldn’t take the role due other obligations (like his funeral, he died shortly before the filming commenced). Lugosi had to learn his lines phonetically, not knowing what the words meant, which is just as well, because audiences mostly remembered his accent anyway.

We hope you were enlightened by this little lesson on the original blood-sucker. Much of the information comes from the book Just A Bite: A Transylvania Expert’s Short History of the Undead.

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.

Empress of Austria 'Sisi', Makes A Cinematic Comeback

VICKY KRIEPS IN CORSAGE FELIX VRATNY/Film AG

If the 19th Century had a figure that was beguiling and curiosity-inspiring as Princess Diana, it would have to be Elisabeth, Empress of Austria. An iconoclast who shunned the spotlight, she found a way into the public’s heart with her distinct personality and idiosyncratic habits. Moreover, she was and remains very popular in Hungary, a place she considered a second home.

Elisabeth, known by her nickname ‘Sisi,’ cut such an individualistic path, it’s hard to know where to start. A proto-hipster, she had a tattoo and dabbled in cocaine use. She drank wine with breakfast and worked out on the rings multiple times a day. She refused to let herself be photographed after age 30, and spent much of her time outside her native Austria.

One of the places she adopted as home away from home is Hungary, primarily staying at her country retreat, now known as the Gödölló Palace, just outside of Budapest. Here, Sisi distinguished herself by actually learning Hungarian, and sticking up for Hungary’s interest in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

125 years later, her story is told through the Netflix series The Empress. Staring Devrim Langnau as Sisi, the series was released in late September to strong reviews. IMDB summarises the 6-part series with the logline: Two young people meet. A fateful encounter - the proverbial love at first sight. He is Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, she is Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, Princess of Bavaria and the sister of the woman Franz is to marry.

It’s worth pointing out that The Empress isn’t the only Sissi project around. This year also saw the feature film The Corsage debut at the Cannes Film Festival. By writer/director Marie Kreutzer, IMDB describes it like this: A fictional account of one year in the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. On Christmas Eve 1877, Elisabeth, once idolized for her beauty, turns 40 and is officially deemed an old woman; she starts trying to maintain her public image.

“Her image is one you can reimagine and reinterpret and fill with your own imagination, because we have a lot of stories about her, but you don’t know if they’re true,” Kreutzer recently told the New York Times.

True or not, it’s inarguable that Sisi is making a comeback in the public imagination. It’s questionable, however, if she ever left. Below find the trailer to Corsage, in German with English subtitles. However, the trained ear will also pick up a little Hungarian. Can you spot it?

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.

Culture Check-In: 2022 Global Chess Festival Kicks Off in Budapest

via the Global Chess Festival official site

Hungary has a long and illustrious history with chess. When world champion Bobby Fischer retreated from the world (and hid from American authorities) he did so in Budapest, home to a vibrant chess culture and players eager to learn. Among them were the Polgar sisters, Judit, Zsófia, and Zsuzsa. Trained by their father, and later coached by Fischer himself, Judit went on to become ranked 8th in the world, and a grandmaster at the game. Zsuzsa became the women’s world champion.

It was Judit who took the initiative to create the Global Chess Festival, an international festival based in Budapest. According to their mission statement: All day entertaining programs await visitors at the Global Chess Festival every year, including professional chess tournaments, simultaneous chess games, art shows, educational conferences and various entertaining programs for all ages. The Global Chess Festival has become a prestigious event in the past ten years - offering a full-day family experience built around the mystical board game.

Though the festival itself takes place in Budapest, events are held world-wide, in the effort to raise the profile of chess internationally and connect players. Indeed, the festival’s motto is ‘Chess Connects Us.’ Last year saw events taking places in as far flung locations as China, Cyprus, India, and Mexico, using chess as an international language.

This year’s program, held in the Hungarian National Gallery, will feature such events as “Women in Chess / Women in Science,” “Lego Robot Programming,” and of course, a tournament.

Below find a recap of last year’s Global Chess Festival, one of the most exciting festival initiatives of late.

Oh, and much of the festival can be seen live, with links on the official festival site, found here. Enjoy.

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.

Blockade Hungary's Nomination for 2022 Oscars

Image via the Hungarian National Film Institute site

It was announced last week that Hungary’s official nomination for the Best International Film category of the 2022 Academy Awards will be the yet-to-be-released political drama Blockade, by director Ádám Tősér and written by Norbert Köbli. The announcement was made on the Hungarian National Film Institute’s website, after the deliberations of the Hungarian Oscar Selection Committee, which included Péter Bergendy, the director who was nominated last year for his film Post Mortem.

The Film Institute offers the following synopsis: “A true story of the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Hungary, József Antall, from his freedom fighter days in 1956 to the infamous 1990 taxi blockade that shook the nation.

József Antall, only six months after his induction as Prime Minister of the first democratic government following the 1989 change of the Communist regime, faces the most difficult test of his life.

Taxi drivers protest against the drastic rise in petrol prices by the House of the National Assembly. Quickly disillusioned with democracy, they blockade the city of Budapest, and soon after the whole country. The opposition sides with them and prompt them to start a revolution. The reserved and thoughtful Antall goes head to head with the ever so popular President Árpád Göncz about how they think the situation can be resolved, and their personalities and opinions collide. Both the press and public opinion sympathize with the taxi drivers, and the police force abandons the government, now unpopular due to their disposition.

József Antall, former participant of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, finds himself on the other side of the barricade. Left alone, newly operated, in a hospital ward, he starts remembering his life as a young history teacher turned revolutionary, and the way he met his wife in the process.

Back in the present, Antall has to make a decision what he should do. He manages to use all the resources he possibly can without hurting the values of the systemic change that just happened in the country, and finds a solution.

Blockade is not only the chronicle of the four days of the taxi blockade: it shows the battles and bargains behind the scenes, and the private life of a Prime Minister dealing with crisis, fighting for democracy.”

Tősér’s last film was 2021’s well-received Kittenberger – The Last Hunt, about the famous Hungarian natural historian and biologist Kálmán Kittenberger. Blockade, which will be released in Hungary on October 20, looks to be both political and personal, not to mention riveting, as the below trailer evinces.

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.

Something Old, Something Nyugati: Budapest Train Station now European Film Landmark

via Wikipedia Commons

Budapest’s most central and ornate train station, Nyugati (Western) station may already be familiar to film buffs, as it is one of the most popular locations for foreign productions filming in the city. It can be seen in such diverse offerings as Munich, Lords of Chaos, Spy Game, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The 25th Hour, not to mention countless Hungarian productions, most prominently perhaps István Szabó’s Sunshine.

The landmark was recently honoured with its inclusion on the European Film Academy’s European Heritage list. According to Screendaily.com, “The Treasures is the Academy’s list of places of a symbolic nature for European cinema that it argues need to be maintained and protected. They include London’s Freemason’s Hall, which has appeared in films such as Spectre, Sherlock Holmes and The Death Of Stalin, and The Notting Hill Bookshop, which featured in Richard Curtis’s Notting Hill. Other locations selected include Rome’s Trevi Fountain (La Dolce Vita), Quilter Street in Bethnal Green, London (Secrets and Lies), Scotland’s Lochailort Church (Breaking The Waves), Warsaw’s Inflancka Housing Complex (Dekalogue), Madrid’s Circulo de Bellas Artes (Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother) and Paris’ Café des Deux Moulins (Amelie).”

Nyugati station is part of local culture and our urban landscape, but did you know that it was designed by one of France’s most famous architectural firms? We are talking about Eiffel firm architect August de Serres. That it has not achieved the iconic status of the Eiffel Tower makes it only the more unique in its ability to stand in for a grand railway station in most any large city in Europe. Completed in 1877, the 66,000 square foot space has gone through recent renovations. The current interior of Nyugati station resonates with elegance and utility. The iron and glass design allows for a bright space that still feels moody and romantic: just right for that railway station farewell. May there be many more to come.

For a complete list of locations on the European Heritage list of locations, look 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.

RÉV REVIEWS, Marcell Rév Wins Emmy

The good news in the film community this week is that Marcell Rév, a Hungarian cinematographer (who now resides in Los Angeles), won a technical Emmy for the series Euphoria — in the "Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour)" category. Rév had already received accolades his work on the series, but it was with the episode entitled "The Theater and its Double” that he brought home the award, having been nominated for the first time last year for his work.

The cinematographer came out ahead in a tough field of competition, beating out his contemporaries from lauded projects like Squid Game and Loki.

Rév is also an accomplished photographer, and recently local news site Telex published a series of his photographs. The stills evince his keen visual talent, in addition to a sensitivity to the human condition. The photos are also key to his process in creating his distinct cinematographic look. According to Telex: “Before he begins work on a project, he always goes to these photos first, and then he creates a separate collection of photos for the specific project. If there’s enough room, he puts the photos on the wall, to see them all as a whole, and then saves these collections created for the specific task. Once the visual essence of the film, the whole concept is ready, he sets out to build the whole film scene by scene.”

Now highly sought after for his skills, Rév has made his home, along with his family, in Los Angeles. While he did return to Hungary not too long ago to work on director Ildikó Enyedi’s most recent film The Story of My Wife, his opportunities primarily lie in Hollywood. With Season 3 of Euphoria on its way in 2023, we have to support that decision, and look forward to more of his visual wonders on the small screen.

For a breakdown on Euphoria’s distinctive look, and the philosophies behind it, have a peek at the video below, which goes into depth about its aesthetic and cinematography.

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 Roots: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

The news flew a bit under the radar locally, but back in 2019 an Academy Award went to an American film-maker of Hungarian extraction. The award was Best Documentary Feature, and the recipient was Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. You don’t have to look too deeply to find the Hungarian connection, as vasarhely transliterates from Hungarian to English as ‘marketplace’ and is likely the shortened form of the town name, Hódmezővásárhely, or, ‘beaver field market place.’ One should get an award for just being able to say it.

Along with her husband, Jimmy Chin, Vasarhelyi directed the daring documentary Free Solo, which profiled rock climber and alpinist Alex Honnold on his historic free solo climb of the El Capitan peak in 2017. Just to make clear what the topic of the film was, the El Capitan rock formation in Yosemite National Park in the state of California is 3,000 feet (914 m) high, and its sheer face is a magnate for climbers, though few dare to go ‘free solo’ which means without the support of a partner or safety ropes.

Of the film Free Solo, Jeannette Catsoulis in The New York Times said, it’s "an engaging study of a perfect match between passion and personality.” Rogerbert.com wrote, “Chin and Vasarhelyi have done such a good job laying out some of El Capitan’s specific challenges for the viewer that they become resonant beats in a mini-story arc. It’s scary and exhilarating stuff.'“

Though Vasarhelyi was not born in Hungary, her father was a Hungarian immigrant. One of her first professional jobs was as an assistant director to Hollywood legend Mike Nichols on the film Closer. From there, she worked with Emmy-Award-winning cinematographer Scott Duncan documenting the Dakar Rally, and stayed with the setting of Senegal to work on such subjects as the elections.

With several more documentaries completed since her Oscar win, including The Rescue and Return to Space, Vasarhelyi is currently finishing a documentary about 64-year-old marathon swimmer, Diana Nyad, and her attempt to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida. As for Free Solo, we’ve included the riveting trailer 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.

"SPY" Reveals Not-So-Secret Side to Budapest

One wants to title this post ‘The Spy Who Kém in from the Cold.’ But that would alienate readers who don’t know that ‘kém’ is the Hungarian word for ‘spy,’ not to mention confusing non-John-le Carre fans. So, we’ll just leave it that we could have, and move on.

While we did a more in-depth post on Melissa McCarthy’s feature comedy, Spy, a while back, we missed this gem of an interview with the director, Paul Feig, and a few words from the star as well. Feig, also known for the films Bridesmaids, the Ghostbusters reboot, and the much-loved but swiftly canceled TV series Freaks and Geeks, found himself enamoured with Budapest after scouting it as a location that would take the place of Paris, Rome, and possibly, Capri. So instead of taking the Spy production all across Europe, as the script demanded, he decided to shoot the entire movie here, relocating the action to Budapest and allowing the city — as it has been known to do — to serve as a stand-in for marquee name cities like, in this case, Paris and Rome.

As he states very clearly in the interview, “Anywhere you point a camera in Budapest, you’ve got an amazing shot.” This is hard to argue with, as more and more large productions arrive in Budapest and Hungary to take advantage of its cost-effectiveness and natural and man-made beauty. Later in the video, Spy star Melissa McCarthy gushes about the catacombs under Budapest’s castle, and the variety of amazing locations.

Have a look at Feig and McCarthy here, delivering a love letter in video form. Seems like they ‘kém’ away pleased.

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.