In 2017, the Hungarian National Film Fund (HNFF) gave production grants to 11 projects for a sum of 12.5 million euros. The biggest amount was given to László Nemes, whose sophomore film ‘Sunset’ received 5.1 million euros. (The movie is since in post-production.) The comedies ‘A Kind of America 3’ and ‘Comrade Drakulics’ received 1.54 million euros and 1.44 million euros, respectively, while ‘Eden’, the much-awaited third film from Ágnes Kocsis was given 1.41 million euros.

Two debut features also received significant grants: Orsi Nagypál’s ‘Open’ received 1 million euros, while Béla Bagota’s Transylvania-set thriller was given 0.94 million euros. Three low-budget debut features of the Incubator Programme (by Ábel Visky, Zsófia Szilágyi and György Mór Kárpáti) also received funding. Also worth mentioning: 350 000 euros were provided for the latest installment of the ‘Wild Hungary’ nature film saga (previous films in the franchise were originally made-for-TV and supported by the Hungarian Media Patronage Programme).

Only one minority co-production was selected for funding in 2017 by the HNFF: Polish director  Krzysztof Zanussi’s ‘Eter’ received 190 000 euros and is co-produced by Laokoon Filmgroup, the company behind ‘Son of Saul’.

Gábor Herendi: A Kind of America

Project development grants were also awarded to nine projects, of which three have already been moved into production. The other projects include new movies by Bence Fliegauf, Tamás Almási and Ildikó Enyedi, as well as debut films by Dénes Nagy, Balázs Krasznahorkai and actress Kata Dobó.

Script development grants were presented to a total of 30 projects. Writers and directors to have received this support include prolific helmers such as Péter Gothár, Péter Gárdos, and György Pálfi, as well as creators of popular movies like Kriszta Goda, Péter Rudolf and Dániel Tiszeker. Young female voices are being represented by Virág Zomborácz and Fanni Szilágyi. On the documentary side, Tibor Kocsis received support to develop his latest soccer-themed film, this time about legendary player László Kubala.

A number of other grants were also given to a wide range of projects. Film festivals like Mediawave, Budapest International Documentary Festival, Jameson Cinefest and Friss Hús Budapest Short Film Festival all received support from the HNFF, as did the Oscar campaign for ‘Sing’. As a matter of course, the three biggest film schools (the University of Theatre and Film Arts of Budapest, the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design and Eötvös Lóránd University) received support for their students’ graduation movies.