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04-07-2013

Hungary to Tweak Film Funding

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    KARLOVY VARY: Two years since it was launched, and 18 months since it gave its first grants, the Hungarian National Film Fund ( www.filmalap.hu ) is taking a look at the programme to see what adjustments are needed.

    “We will look at our rules and regulations and fine tune the Film Fund now,” chief executive Agnes Havas told FNE. Hungarian producers have been divided on the selection of films receiving funding, with some concern that the fund is too commercially oriented.

    Havas defended the Fund. “Under the leadership of Andrew Vajna we are building a transparent industry. We have a good and healthy balance between experienced and new filmmakers,” she told FNE. “It’s also very important to keep the diversity of genres and subject matter.”

    Looking to the next generation of filmmakers is one of the Fund’s priorities. “We try to nurture talent,” Havas said. “We support three film schools” with funds of up to 100,000 EUR per school.

    Among the films which are going into production this summer are Ibola Fekete’s Mom and Other Loonies in the Family ( www.cinema-film.hu ) which was pitched at Connecting Cottbus (www.connecting-cottbus.de), Paw ( www.ujbudapestfilmstudio.hu ) directed by Robert Pejo, and Argo 2 ( www.argo2.hu ), a sequel to the 2004 Hungarian blockbuster, direct ed by Attila Arpa.