Lots of movies, big and small, have been filmed in Budapest and Hungary in recent years. Here’s 6 of our favorites, and information on where you can stream or watch them right now!
Pieces of a Woman (2020) – Available to Stream on Netflix
Released in 2020, “Pieces of a Woman” is a drama from celebrated Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó. In “Pieces of a Woman”, Mundruczó and his wife Kata Wéber craft a film that tells a deeply personal story about what happens to a woman after her home birth ends in tragedy. The film, which was based on a play the couple had previously written together, stars Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Molly Parker, Iliza Shlesinger, and Benny Safdie.
On Body and Soul (2017) – Available to Stream on Netflix
“On Body and Soul” (“Testről és lélekről”) is a Hungarian drama written and directed by Ildikó Enyedi. The film, which won the top prize at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, tells the story of a top executive at a slaughterhouse and a newly appointed meat inspector. When the two discover that they can communicate with each other through dreams, a strange and unlikely romance emerges. The film stars Alexandra Borbély as Géza Morcsányi.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – Available to Stream on HBO Max
A follow up to Ridley Scott’s landmark “Blade Runner” (1982), “Blade Runner 2049” tells the story of LAPD Officer K, who discovers a secret that has the potential to send what’s left of the society into chaos. Taking place thirty years after the events of the first film, the movie stars Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto. Shooting for the film primarily took place at Korda Studios in suburban Budapest, on the ORIGO Studios backlot.
Gloomy Sunday (1999) – Available to Stream on Kanopy, Tubi
This film, based on the novel of the same name by Nick Barkow, tells the story of a restaurant owner named László, a pianist named András, and a waitress named Ilona who both men fall in love with. The film, which soon takes a darker turn as it tells a fictional story regarding the titular song’s composition, was a German and Hungarian co-production.
Sunshine (1999) – Available to Rent on iTunes or Google Play
“Sunshine”, a 1999 film from director István Szabó, is a historical drama film that tells the intergenerational story of a single Hungarian Jewish family. The film stars Ralph Fiennes in multiple roles as well as Rachel Weisz and John Neville in supporting roles. The film was an international co-production between Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Canada, and filming was done almost entirely in Budapest. One scene, which features the exterior of a Budapest estate, was filmed in the Ferencváros district at 15 Bokréta Street.
Don’t Breathe (2016) – Available on Fubo TV or to Rent on iTunes & Google Play
From celebrated Uruguayan filmmaker Federico Álvarez, “Don’t Breathe” is a horror/thriller film that tells the story of a group of teenagers who break into a blind man’s home, only to get trapped within its walls. Though the film is set in the United States in Detroit, Michigan, the majority of the film was shot in Budapest, with only a handful of B-unit shots actually shot on location in Detroit. The film premiered at the prestigious South by Southwest festival in March of 2016.
