French cinema on show in Budapest

by Fabien Lemercier

19/04/2006 - The 10th French Film Festival kicks off in Budapest this Thursday, with a selection of 10 features on show at preview screenings in the capital’s Corvin cinema.

Organised by Unifrance and Upperstudio, the event aims to help Hungarian distributors with the release of French films. Films will be screened until April 26 in theatres of seven towns outside of Budapest (Debrecen, Eger, Gyor, Miskolc, Szeged, Pecs and Kecskemet).

Hungary is one of the best markets for French cinema in Eastern Europe (see interview with Unifrance expert Joël Chapron), with 32 new films released in 2005 and admission figures of 6.94m Hungarian filmgoers for 168 French films over the past ten years.

Six Hungarian distributors are involved in the programming of this year’s festival. Budapest Film includes in its line-up Hidden [trailer, film focus] by Michael Haneke and Time to Leave [trailer] by François Ozon, while Mokép Co. will distribute The Beat My Heart Skipped [trailer] by Jacques Audiard and Lemming [trailer] by Dominik Moll.

SPI International has acquired rights for Anthony Zimmer by Jérôme Salle and Changing Times [trailer] by André Téchiné. Distributor Best Hollywood is setting its hopes on Marock [trailer] by Laïla Marrakchi and Hell [trailer] by Danis Tanovic.

Lastly, FF Film will release the comedy L'Incruste, directed by Alexandre Castagnetti and Corentin Julius, and Paradigma Film is releasing Il ne faut jurer de rien by Eric Civanyan.

The delegation of directors and actors, which includes Gérard Jugnot, Haneke and Moll, will travel to Budapest to meet with Hungarian audiences and press.

(Translated from French)