The 5th Hungarian Motion Picture Festival (MOZ.GO) opened last night in Veszprém’s Óváros Square with a public screening of the crowd-favorite film How Could I Live Without You?. The festival highlights the newest achievements in Hungarian cinema while honoring two legendary figures born 100 years ago: director Károly Makk and actor Iván Darvas.
Organized under the patronage of the Hungarian Film Academy and supported by the National Film Institute and Veszprém-Balaton 2023, the festival will award the prestigious Hungarian Motion Picture Prizes in 22 categories. Among this year’s nominees are numerous productions connected to students and alumni of the University of Theatre and Film Arts (SZFE), Budapest.
Ahead of the official opening, the “We Must Play: Károly Makk at Work” exhibition was unveiled at the Foton Audiovisual Centre in Veszprém. Featuring rare behind-the-scenes images, the exhibition spans Makk’s career from Liliomfi to A Week in Pest and Buda (2003). Festival Director Attila Csáky opened the show, while National Film Commissioner Csaba Káel shared personal memories of the acclaimed filmmaker.
The festival’s opening night featured appearances by screenwriter Krisztina Goda and producer Attila Kirády, with actress Franciska Törőcsik greeting the audience via video. The event was officially inaugurated by Veszprém Mayor Gyula Porga, Minister Tibor Navracsics, and Csaba Káel.
This year, SZFE student films play a prominent role, with screenings scheduled from June 19–21 at Expresszó and the Foton Centre. First-year directing students from the university will present an eight-part etude series on the opening day, followed by thematic student film blocks such as “Thank You for Understanding” and “Leave Me Alone – The Boundaries of Love”. Audience members will also have the chance to engage in Q&A sessions with the young filmmakers.
In total, 10 SZFE-related productions are nominated across 8 categories. Notably, Gergely Kotsis, a graduating director from SZFE, earned three nominations for his short film If You Cross the Great Mountain, which will screen on June 20 at 17:00 in Expresszó.
Two SZFE faculty members, renowned cinematographer Lajos Koltai and internationally recognized stunt coordinator Gábor Piroch, will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards during the June 20 ceremony. The Hungarian Motion Picture Awards will be broadcast live on June 21 by M5 from the Balatonfüred Congress Center.
Source: University of Theatre and Film Arts
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