CHINA Edition
Hungarian Edition
The Hungarian Motion Picture Festival has announced its prestigious lifetime achievement awards for this year, recognizing the distinguished careers of several luminaries in the Hungarian film industry. The ceremony is set to take place on the evening of June 14, 2024, during the festival at the Kisfaludy Gallery in Balatonfüred.
This year’s honorees include director and screenwriter Judit Elek, actress Ildikó Piros, cinematographer Buda Gulyás, composer György Selmeczi, and gaffer Tamásné Baba Deimanik. Each has made significant contributions to the film industry, leaving an indelible mark on Hungarian and international cinema.
Judit Elek, who is celebrating her 87th birthday this year, is a founding member of the Béla Balázs Studio and a Kossuth and Béla Balázs award-winning director and screenwriter. She was a student at the Theatre and Film Arts College between 1956 and 1961, where she studied under Félix Máriássy. Her influential work includes the poetic documentary “How Long Does a Man Live?” (1967) and her first feature film “An Island on the Continent” (1968), which premiered at Cannes. Her films, including “Maria’s Day” (1983) and “Raftsmen” (1989), have consistently been featured at international film festivals, with “An Island on the Land” recently restored and shown at Cannes last year.
Ildikó Piros, a recipient of the Kossuth and Jászai Mari awards, has been a constant presence on the Hungarian stage and screen since she first performed at age four. A graduate of the Theatre and Film Arts Academy in 1970, she spent 37 years at the Madách Theatre and has appeared in over 50 films and television plays, including memorable roles in “Nem szoktam hazudni” and the beloved TV series “Abigél.” At the festival, her film “Cat’s Play” will be shown, also serving as a tribute to the recently deceased composer Péter Eötvös.
Buda Gulyás, born in 1949 and a graduate of the Theatre and Film Arts Academy in 1979, is a Béla Balázs Award-winning cinematographer and university professor. His work spans popular series and films, including “Linda,” “Angyalbőrben,” and “Three Musketeers in Africa.” Festival attendees will have the opportunity to see “Just Sex and Nothing Else,” a film he shot which achieved great popularity.
Composer and pianist György Selmeczi, born in 1952 in Cluj-Napoca, is celebrated not only in Hungary but across Europe. Having studied under Pierre Boulez and Daniel Charles in Paris, Selmeczi has composed music for nearly sixty films, including “Angi Vera” (1978), which will be showcased at the festival.
Tamásné Baba Deimanik, celebrated for her nearly fifty years as a gaffer, has worked on notable films such as “The Hooligans,” “Heritage,” and “A Kind of America.” Her lighting skills will be highlighted at the festival through the screening of “Control.”
The Hungarian Motion Picture Festival, taking place from June 12 to 15, 2024, in Veszprém, Balatonfüred, and Balatonalmádi, continues to be a celebration of Hungarian film, offering a unique experience for the audience and a vibrant meeting point for Hungarian filmmakers. This year, it promises new Hungarian films, exciting stars, and unforgettable cinema experiences, making it a must-attend event for film enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.
