In some of the formidable scenes of Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” the musical rating involves life with a grandeur that solely a big orchestra can present. What few viewers know is that this soundtrack was not recorded in Los Angeles or London, however in Budapest.
As Hollywood grapples with escalating manufacturing prices, labor disputes, and a aggressive international market, studios are more and more relocating their tasks overseas. In Los Angeles, as soon as the guts of movie manufacturing, on-location filming fell by 22.4% within the first quarter of 2025 in comparison with the identical interval the earlier yr, based on FilmLA. That’s the bottom it’s been in three many years. One purpose? Enter Hungary as one of many key gamers when it comes to (cheaper) manufacturing places.
Talking with IndieWire, Tamás Pásztor, director of the Astra Filmland studio house in Mogyoród, reminded that “two of the main Hollywood studios, Paramount Photos and Fox, had been based by Hungarians.”
Regardless of this legacy, Hungary spent a lot of the twentieth century and not using a main position within the business. However within the final 20 years, the nation has advanced from simply one other filming location in Europe to changing into a cinematic hub — with the infrastructure, tax incentive system, and workforce to again it because the “Hollywood of the Danube.”
Even because the Hungarian authorities faces worldwide criticism for its current constitutional modification banning LGBTQ+ public occasions, together with Pleasure parades, Hollywood productions proceed to flock to the nation. As historical past tells us — bear in mind Georgia? — the attract of financial incentives and established infrastructure typically outweighs political issues for studios searching for cost-effective places.
The Origins of Hungary’s Movie Increase
20 years in the past, Hungary’s movie business was in its infancy and lacked the assets to draw main worldwide productions. That was when Tamás Csutak, one of many minds behind the sector’s development and director of movement image advisory group Abacus-Seek the advice of, devised a technique that will change the panorama.
“Again then, my thought was that it made no sense to provide extra money to artists or administrators with out creating the business behind them. I proposed a scheme with two pillars: state subsidies for nationwide movies and a rebate system to compete with nations just like the Czech Republic or Romania. Moreover, we inspired funding in infrastructure. That’s how our system was born,” he mentioned.
Nevertheless, a turning level got here with the arrival of Andy Vajna, the Hollywood producer-turned-film commissioner, who spearheaded the overhaul of Hungary’s movie financing system. Vajna centralized movie funding beneath the Hungarian Nationwide Movie Fund, making certain that assets had been allotted effectively and strategically. His reforms not solely streamlined the funding course of but in addition positioned Hungary as a severe competitor on the worldwide stage.
“We went from a enterprise quantity of $22 million to $305 million right now. The rebate elevated from 20% to 30%, attracting studios like Common. The primary main manufacturing was ‘Hellboy’ in 2004… It was proof that the mannequin labored,” Tamás added.
The Actual Affect on the Trade
The expansion of Hungary’s movie business is mirrored in its numbers and infrastructure. Astra Filmland is a transparent instance.
“Initially, this Astra, the place we are actually, began with this constructing in 2007, which housed three soundstages. And now, we have now 12 soundstages. Two are beneath building however will open quickly,” mentioned Pásztor.
The nation has gone from having only one studio able to dealing with main productions to boasting a number of top-tier amenities, equivalent to Korda Studios, based in 2007, and the not too long ago expanded NFI Studios in Fót. Launched as a landmark state funding in 2020, the event of NFI Studios has elevated Hungary’s studio capability by 22% nationwide, opening new alternatives for the business.
Budapest movie commissioner Csaba Káel highlights the importance of this enlargement: “Throughout the pandemic, we understood that the important thing to sustaining Hungary as a world movie vacation spot was to maintain investing in our infrastructure. That’s why we expanded the Nationwide Movie Institute’s studios in Fót, including 4 new soundstages and growing the nation’s capability by 22%. Now, we will host much more high-level productions.”
However past the buildings, the true achievement is the professionalization of its technical crews.
“Earlier than, overseas groups had been introduced in; right now, 80% of productions use native technicians. A decade in the past, we might deal with one main venture; now, we will handle 5 concurrently,” mentioned Tamás Csutak.
Hungary’s benefits over different European nations prolong past infrastructure. In keeping with Csutak, labor flexibility is one other sturdy level: “We don’t have inflexible unions like in Hollywood. In case you want an additional hour of taking pictures, it’s doable right here.” Furthermore, Budapest’s versatility as a location is a gorgeous characteristic for producers: “Budapest has many faces… It may be Paris, Rome… and it has a first-class collection of accommodations and eating places to accommodate worldwide crews,” added Tamás Pásztor.
Past Filming: Coaching and Enlargement
To maintain the business’s development, Hungary has invested in coaching new professionals.
“The movie business doesn’t simply want top-notch amenities but in addition extremely expert expertise. In Hungary, we have now established a coaching program on the College of Drama and Movie in Budapest, the place college students be taught with cutting-edge expertise equivalent to digital backgrounds and digital lighting design,” mentioned Káel.
The nation has additionally invested in post-production and movie music. “Attracting shoots is just not sufficient. We would like Hungary to be a full-fledged hub, from manufacturing to post-production and movie music. An important instance is that the soundtrack of ‘Megalopolis’ by Francis Ford Coppola was recorded right here,” added Káel.
On one other entrance, Hungarian animation continues to determine itself. “In 2025, we’ll have fun 111 years of Hungarian animation and would be the visitor nation at Annecy Competition,” famous Csaba.
Challenges and the Way forward for Hungarian Cinema
Regardless of its success, the business’s development faces challenges. One of many largest is the sustainability of the tax incentive mannequin.
“The restrict is the state finances: Each rebate greenback comes from taxes. If extra tasks arrive, the reimbursement time (now 200 days) will improve. We should persuade the federal government that investing extra right here is extra worthwhile than in battery factories,” warned Tamás Csutak.
Past financing, the business should additionally adapt to technological adjustments. Synthetic intelligence is likely one of the components reshaping the sector, and Hungary doesn’t need to be left behind.
“Synthetic intelligence is already altering the business, particularly in animation and visible results. In Hungary, we’re ready to combine these instruments into movie manufacturing. We don’t see AI as a risk however as a chance to reinforce our capabilities and be much more aggressive,” mentioned Káel.
However expertise performs a task not solely in manufacturing but in addition in distribution. One of many pending challenges is bringing Hungarian cinema to a wider viewers.
“One of many challenges we face is the distribution of our movies throughout the European Union. That’s why we have now developed a nationwide streaming platform, Filmio, and our thought is to broaden it throughout Central Europe. We would like Hungarian cinema not solely to be produced right here but in addition to succeed in the appropriate audiences.”
Future plans additionally transcend filming studios. Astra Filmland already has formidable tasks in place. “We name it Astra Filmland… We now have many plans to supply not simply studios, soundstages, and workshops, but in addition providers. We plan to construct a meals courtroom, a shopping mall… principally, a movie metropolis,” mentioned Tamás Pásztor.
Some current tasks which have chosen Hungary for his or her manufacturing: “The Brutalist” filmed a part of its scenes at Korda Studios and throughout Budapest; “The Leisure System Is Down,” the upcoming satirical movie by Ruben Östlund starring Keanu Reeves and Kirsten Dunst, is presently being shot within the nation; James Vanderbilt’s “Nuremberg,” that includes Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, additionally filmed key scenes in Budapest; whereas “Now You See Me 3” and Sky’s new sequence “Amadeus” have taken benefit of Hungary’s versatile studio infrastructure and places. On the native entrance, Oscar-winner László Nemes accomplished the filming of “Orphan,” a drama set in post-revolutionary Budapest and anticipated at fall movie festivals.
Trying forward, a number of worldwide productions are already scheduled to shoot in Hungary over the approaching months. Whereas many particulars stay confidential because of NDAs, native business professionals guarantee that studio bookings for 2024 and 2025 are “busier than ever.”
“We used to promote places; now we promote studios. Initiatives like ‘Dune’ or Netflix sequence are filmed right here as a result of we have now expertise and groups. They solely use exteriors for 2-3 days; the remainder is finished on soundstages with LED screens,” mentioned Tamás Csutak.
Hungarian cinema is just not solely a part of the business’s current but in addition its future. And with each new manufacturing that chooses Hungary as its house, the “Hollywood of the Danube” continues to solidify its place as one of many nice gamers in international cinema.