02-05-2011

Vajna Unveils New System for Support of Hungarian Film Production

By FNE Staff

    BUDAPEST: Hungary's new film commissioner, Andy Vajna, has unveiled plans for the restructuring of the country's film industry. A new body, the Hungarian National Film Fund will be responsible for film funding. A panel of film professionals will be appointed to decide which film projects will receive government funding. Vajna said there would be an emphasis on scripts and the development of better scripts.

    The Ministry of Public Affairs has allocated 2 billion HUF for film funding in 2011 but Vajna said that some of this money would have to go toward the consolidation of debts from previous debts from the old MMK which the government announced last week it would shut down.

    Vajna said that in 2011 he expected that three or four films could be funded although it was not clear if these would be new productions or if the money would go to finish productions that were halted last year due to lack of funding.

    Starting in 2012 the fund should be able to finance 8 to 10 feature films a year with each film getting support of up to 150 million HUF or half of the budget. If a production wants to get more support funding of up to 90% of the budget is possible then in this case the Hungarian National Film Fund will receive money from the distribution.

    No announcement regarding support for distribution, art house cinemas or other film activities has been made yet.