Hungarian MTV fined for violating ad code
Hungary's National Radio and Television Commission, or ORTT, has ordered Magyar Televizio to pay an 800,000 forint (€3,190) fine for "implied advertising," a violation of the 1995 media law.
Kusturica and Fatih Akin to produce 1.5 million euro Mamarosh
The €1.5 million German-Serbian-Hungarian production Mamarosh has set a shooting date of March 2008 after Eurimages (www.coe.int/eurimages), a Film Fund of the Council of Europe, agreed to extend the validity…
MTV sues MTV over use of brand (update)
Hungary's public broadcaster, Magyar Televizio (mtv, www.mtv.hu), has filed suit with the country's Supreme Court against Music Television, seeking exclusive use of the MTV brand after the latter debuted its…
Rights to 40 years of Hungarian films stuck in limbo
Foreign sales from Hungary's bountiful postwar film catalogue have been stuck in a bureaucratic limbo since 2004, and a Sept. 30 deadline that was expected to clarify the situation has…
Brussels objects to Hungarian film subsidy system
Hungary's system of tax rebates for filmmaking, which has been a stunning success in drawing international productions to Hungary, has run afoul of the European Union.
6.3M euro El Greco biopic premieres in Athens
The Greek-Spanish-Hungarian co-production El Greco held its ceremonial premiere in Athens this week with Queen Sofia of Spain in attendance.
Hungarian Pannonia animation studio faces uncertain future
The state-owned Pannónia Film Kft., once the leading force in a booming Hungarian animation sector, is facing an uncertain future due to inaction on the part of its owner, the…
Fantasy film by Gabor Csupo shoots in Hungary (update)
The Secret of Moonacre, a feature by former animation maven and three-time Emmy Award winner Gabor Csupo, is shooting entirely in Hungary, leaving most of its $27 million (€19 million)…
Macedonian-Swiss writer wins Central European Pitch Forum
A Swiss-based writer from Macedonia, Mitko Panov, was named winner of the first Central European Pitch Forum in the city of Pecs, Hungary.
Aron Gauder joins forces with Iceland on Egill (update)
Young Hungarian animation director Aron Gauder is in full throttle working on his full-length 3D feature Egill, a follow-up to his acclaimed The District!, with an Icelandic company cast as…
Liberty Group acquires Filmmuzeum channel in Hungary
Hungary’s Filmmúzeum, a television channel that showcases mainly old classic films, has been sold to leading content-provider Chellomedia CEE Holdco B.V. following a go-ahead by Hungarian competition authorities
MTV dedicated Hungarian service launched
MTV Networks International launched a new 24-hour dedicated Hungarian service on Oct. 1, with its own local programming in addition to its library of international material.
Hungarian animated film The District! set for North American release
Montreal-based Atopia Distribution (www.atopia.com) has acquired North American rights to Aron Gauder's biting animated comedy The District!
Fantasy film by Gabor Csupo shoots in Hungary
The Moon Princess, a feature by former animation maven and three-time Emmy Award winner Gabor Csupo, is shooting entirely in Hungary, leaving most of its $30 million (€21.3 million) budget…
Miklos Jancso plans historical epic on King Mathias
Iconic director Miklos Jancso (www.jancso.film.hu), Hungary's internationally acclaimed filmmaker, is preparing his next feature film, The Justice is Gone!, a large-scale epic about the 15th Century Hungarian King Mathias that…
Colorfront launched as most advanced DI house in Europe
The Hungarian brothers who invented the DI color manipulation system used in many Hollywood blockbusters have announced the launch of Colorfront (www.colorfront.com), a state-of-the-art DI and visual effects post-production facility…
Budapest Film introduces first movie download service
Hungary's first online film downloading portal, Filmklik (www.filmklik.hu), has ended its three-month trial period and is now expanding its inventory to make more than 300 films available by year-end.
First Hungarian sci-fi feature aims for winter release
In an unusual move, a group of young filmmakers has completed principal photography on the self-financed Lines of Destiny, Hungary's first-ever sci-fi feature, and is readying it for a year-end…
Four million euro pledged for Hungarian docs
Hungary's Motion Picture Foundation (www.mmka.hu), the state film fund, and Duna Television (www.dunatv.hu), the country's leading cultural channel, have pledged to add 100 million forints (€4 million) to fund documentaries…
Hungary submits Taxidermia for Oscar nomination
A Hungarian committee of film officials has selected Taxidermia, a controversial film dealing with "three stories, three ages, three men" and directed by György Pálfi, for consideration for the Academy…
