BUDAPEST: Although film distributors in Hungary had predicted an upheaval in film distribution patterns as a result of COVID-19 – with streaming and VOD as likely winners – their worst fears have not come to pass during the recovery period, and they are now looking ahead with cautious optimism.

BUDAPEST: The number of cinema-goers has been rising only slowly in 2021, following the period of shut down forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WARSAW: Polish producers have adapted to working under COVID restrictions and production has continued to recover during 2021.

BRATISLAVA: Slovak distributors recovered some momentum during the second half of 2021, releasing several long-awaited domestic titles, which had been waiting to premiere since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as several new titles.

FNE’s Georgian correspondent Alexander Gabelia spoke to Hungarian Tamas Liszka who is head of the Budapest Cinemas Group, about the challenges he has faced as a cinema operator during the pandemic, as well as about the post-pandemic recovery of the Hungarian exhibition. Tamas talks about films, audiences, and solidarity, which cinema critically needs today.

WARSAW: Polish film and television producer, and PISF expert Kamil Przełęcki, talks to FNE about the realities of the Polish film production market recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

WARSAW: The Polish box office is currently noting an increase in attendance figures and revenue despite the fourth wave of COVID-19, giving distributors hope of further recovery in 2022.

BUDAPEST: Bálint Szalóky is the head of PR at Mozinet, one of the leading art film distributors in Hungary. He talks to FNE about the recovery of distribution in Hungary in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BUDAPEST: FNE spoke to Oksana Sarkisova, Director of Hungary’s Verzió Film Festival, which took place with screenings in Budapest 9-14 November in cinemas, and with its Industry section online 15-21 November 2021.

BRATISLAVA: Cinemas in Slovakia remain open despite the rising numbers of Covid cases. They were allowed to restart operations, albeit under certain conditions, from 17 May 2021, according to a decree by the Slovak government, announced on 12 May this year.

BUDAPEST: Andrea Buda, the marketing director of film theatre operator Cinema City, talks to FNE about how Hungarian exhibitors bounce back in 2021, as the vaccination rate increases and pandemic numbers start to wane.

The livestream took place on 12 November 2021 when documentary producers from the V4 countries shared their experiences during the pandemic and how they can work together during the recovery to incorporate lessons learned.

FNE’s Georgian correspondent Alexander Gabelia spoke to Hungarian distributor Máté Takács who is publicity manager of Fórum Hungary, about the challenges he has faced as a distributor during the pandemic, as well as about the post-pandemic recovery of the Hungarian distribution and exhibition. Máté talks about the lessons learned and the future of the film industry in Hungary, as well as the new feature film The Grandson (2022) directed by Kristóf Deák and distributed by Fórum Hungary.

FNE’s Georgian correspondent Alexander Gabelia spoke to Gábor Osváth, emerging producer from Hungary, about the challenges he has faced as a producer during the pandemic, as well as about the post-pandemic recovery of the Hungarian film industry, love of romantic comedies, and the importance of international coproductions. Gábor is known for his work on Balaton Method (2015), Captives (2019) and Nagykarácsony (2021).

BRATISLAVA: Slovak film production in 2021 has restarted with unprecedented intensity, after a challenging year in 2020, when the film industry remained paralysed by the pandemic and filming was completely stopped for several months.

FNE’s Georgian correspondent Alexander Gabelia spoke to Juraj Krasnohorsky, head of studies of the CEE Animation Workshop. CEE Animation Workshop is a year-long project development and producer skills advancement training programme designed for film professionals working in the field of animation. The Workshop is tailor-made to suit the needs of producers and their creative teams with animated projects of any format (shorts, TV, feature length, hybrid, XR) in development.