Budapest Classics Film Marathon pays tribute to emblematic figures of Hungarian cinema

BUDAPEST: The National Film Institute – Hungary organizes, for the fourth time, the Budapest Classics Film Marathon. Budapest’s biggest international film event will kick off on September 21, 2021. The six-day celebration features over 70 recently restored classics in themed sections at various venues across the capital.

The Marathon honors iconic actress Mari Törőcsik, world-renowned animation artist Marcell Jankovics, cinematographer János Tóth and French director Bertrand Tavernier.

The legendary actress Mari Törőcsik (1935-2021) is the only Hungarian actress to have won the award for best actress at the Cannes Film Festival. During the Marathon, the public can watch Our child / Kölyök directed by Mihály Szemes and Miklós Markos, and produced by Hunnia Filmstúdió, Anna / Edes Anna directed by Zoltán Fábri and produced by Hunnia Filmstúdió, Madame Déry, where are you? / Déryné, hol van? directed by Gyula Maár and produced by Hunnia Filmstúdió, and Electra, my love / Szerelmem, Elektra directed by Miklós Jancsó and produced by Mafilm.

The Oscar-nominated animated short Cannes Palme d’Or Marcell Jankovics (1941-2021) was one of the most important artists in Hungarian animation. Its enchanting animations have delighted successive generations since the 1970s. Johnny Corncob / János Vítéz and Song of the miraculous doe / Ének a csodaszarvasról can be experienced in a fully restored audio and visual format. They were both produced by Pannonia Filmstúdió.

The marathon also focuses on legendary artists celebrating milestone birthdays in 2021, Miklós Jancsó (100), Zoltán Huszárik (90) and Márta Mészáros (90); two masters of animation Sándor Reisenbüchler and János Halász (John Halas), and the avant-garde artist László Moholy-Nagy.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Miklós Jancsó, called “The Master” by Martin Scorsese, the public will be able to discover iconic masterpieces produced by Mafilm – Cantate / Oldás és kötés, Silence and Cry / Csend és kiáltás, The Round-Up / Szegénylegények, among others – in superb quality.

The Hungarian He section focuses on the long established Hungarian film tradition, audiences can see the world through the eyes of Oscar winner Vilmos Zsigmond, István Hildebrand, Lajos Koltai and Maté Rudolph.

Hungarian Hollywood selection draws inspiration from Hollywood’s rich Hungarian heritage: Billy Wilder’s The apartment with a scenography by Sándor Trauner (Alexandre Trauner), who won an Oscar for his work, Ernst Lubitsch ‘ The corner shop based on the work of Miklós László and, naturally, the all-time classic by Mihály Kertész (Michael Curtiz) Casablanca.

Film screenings at the Budapest Classics Film Marathon are complemented by professional programs, book presentations, lectures, public meetings, exhibitions, music and children’s programs.