Some more very exciting news to report from Hungary’s film production scene: Origo Studios has been shortlisted for Studio of the Year in the Global Production Awards (GPA) 2024. What are the Global Production Awards? These awards shine a light on those behind the camera who work tirelessly in studios, on production sets and locations to bring outstanding entertainment to our screens. The GPAs have several categories where a shortlist is compiled of candidates that exhibit excellence in a particular field. They search the world over for the best in locations, studios, crews, ideas and executio ..read more

In this instalment of our series on castles in Hungary, we’re travelling west to the Austrian border. Eszterháza, a grand palace envisaged by Prince Miklós Eszterházy to rival Versailles, was built near the southern shore of the Neusiedler See (Fertõ in Hungary), a vast lake that straddles the Hungarian-Austrian border. Image via Wikipedia, Dániel Somogyi-Tóth. The kernel for this extensive estate had humble beginnings. Prince Miklós spent a lot of his time here in what was originally nothing more than a hunting lodge called Süttör. But the man had big dreams–and the funds–to build something ..read more

In recent years, Hungary has emerged as a sought-after destination for international film, television and commercial production. So much so that Budapest is now the number two international filming destination in Europe after London. We look at some of the reasons why it’s become so popular. The Hungarian film industry has experienced significant growth over the last few years with production volume increasing at an exponential rate. According to a recent article in Portfolio, production volume reached nearly 1 billion Euro in 2022. What’s fuelled that growth? Panoramic shot of Budapest, stra ..read more

Meet Nátán Vértes, a passionate professional ice hockey player who’s played in Hungary, Finland and the U.S.A., has just been featured on Forbes Hungary’s 30/30 List and who demands excellence of himself both on and off the ice. He’s on a mission to inspire others and spread awareness of mental health. Nátán’s love affair with hockey started at a young age. Apparent that he had a special talent, he began working with a coach (Árpad Kercsó) from the age of six. What followed was a whirlwind of teams and places, from the Budapest Stars, Zalaegerszeg and Székesfehérvár to Finland. At that point ..read more

European powerhouse Beta Film divulged the first sneak-peak this week (exclusively for Variety) of a new 10-part TV series touted as “One of the most epic European TV productions of all time.” Rise of the Raven. Picture via Imdb In the landscape of European television, where we’re increasingly seeing iterations of historical drama for our viewing pleasure, we’re about to see something a little different. Rise of the Raven, a mammoth project from Hungarian-born Canadian producer Robert Lantos (Sunshine, The Sweet Hereafter, Barney’s Version, Eastern Promises, Crimes of the Future) has conclude ..read more

Hungary is well-known as being one of the busiest filming hubs in Europe. But how has this impacted actors residing in the country? Are they benefiting from an upsurge in roles available now that Hungary is fast becoming the Hollywood of the East? Increasing numbers of international production companies are coming to the country to film commercials, films or TV series and 2024 is gearing up to be a bumper year. This is especially welcome news in the aftermath of the writers and SAG-AFTRA strikes which put a stop to many productions last year. Considering the uptake in international production ..read more

In the third instalment of our series featuring castles in Hungary, we’re taking an easy 45-minute drive from the capital on the M3 highway to visit a place that was favoured by Empress Elisabeth–affectionately known as Sisi. Royal Palace of Gödöllő. Photo from Wikipedia. We like to take you places in this blog, to shed some light on why Hungary has become such a popular filming destination for international productions and highlight different aspects of the country. This time we’re visiting a right royal destination.  Our other motivation? We’re in the middle of a Sisi-fest–there are cu ..read more

In the third instalment of our series featuring castles in Hungary, we’re taking an easy 45-minute drive from the capital on the M3 highway to visit a place that was favoured by Queen Elizabeth–The Empress Elizabeth–also known as Sisi. Royal Palace of Gödöllő. Photo from Wikipedia. We like to take you places in this blog. To shed some light on why Hungary has become such a popular filming destination for international productions, we want to show different aspect of the country. As such, we’ve arrived at another regal destination.  Our other motivation? We’re in the middle of a Sisi-fest ..read more

Budapest, Hungary. A place already much favoured by international film and TV makers for its ability to seemingly mimic just about any other city on the planet. And beyond. Sound stages in this central European country have even made us believe people were colonizing Mars; The Martian (2015) was filmed at Korda studios, which at the time had one of the largest sound studios in the world.    To meet the increasing demand from international producers wanting to film in Hungary, NFI studios are currently significantly expanding their capacity. With support from the National Film Institu ..read more

Johnny Depp is back in the hot seat, but this time for all the right reasons. After a break of 25 years, Depp’s back in the director’s chair on his latest project, “Modi,” a biopic filmed in Budapest and based on the tumultuous life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. Behind-the-scenes images via Entertainment Weekly offer a glimpse into the meticulously recreated world of "Modi," shot mostly on location in Budapest. Photo: Leo Pinter. It started with Al Pacino. In a recent Instagram post on his production company's page, IN.2, Depp described the film as a "unique and captivating story." He ..read more