Hungarian Film You Should not Miss

While Hollywood has dominated the film market around the world for almost a century, very few consider Hungary a place of the robust film industry. That being said, Hungary has a notable cinema established decades ago and produces a lot of influential cinema beyond the country’s borders. If you are a film buff looking for some Hungarian films to watch, here’re some Hungarian latest releases and the classics of all time that you should not miss.

Part 1: New Release Hungarian Film in 2021
Part 2: Best Hungarian Film of All Time
Part 3: Where Can You Watch Hungarian Film?

 

Part 1: New Release Hungarian Film in 2021

Let’s take a look at what Hungarian cinema has to offer recently. While the pandemic keeps unfolding through the year, there are not many Hungarian films releasing lately. Here is the list of new release Hungarian films you might want to check out.

1. Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time

Directed by Lili Horvát, the film documents Márta, a forty-year-old neurosurgeon who leaves everything behind her bright future in the US and decides to return to Budapest for love. Weirdly, the man, the love of her life, seems to look at her as a stranger who he has never met. The film was selected as the Hungarian entry to compete for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.

 

2. Forest – I See You Everywhere

Written and directed by Bence Fliegauf, the film is a collection of seven miniatures. With a hypnotic and erratic tone, the film depicts the relationship in several kinds of crisis, looking for answers that inspire. Starring Laura Podlovics and István Lénárt, Forest - I See You Everywhere premiered in the 71st Berlin International Film Festival in March 2021 and was critically acclaimed for the amplified emotion, narrative, and style.

 

3. Natural Light

Natural Light is a historical film of the occupied Soviet Union in World War 2, documenting István Semetka, a simple farmer who works as a Caporal, scouts for partisans to a remote village. After his unit falls under the enemy, Semetka has to take command and deal with a situation that is out of control. The film also premiered at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival in March 2021 and won the Silver Bear for Best Director.

 

Part 2: Best Hungarian Film of All Time

Hungary has produced the most important films for the last decades and is also the home country to a number of influential directors, usually in arthouse. Here’s the list of the best Hungarian films of all time you should never miss.

 

1. The Witness (1969)

Directed by Péter Bacsó, The Witness is a Hungarian satire film that was used to be banned for the outspoken criticism of the post WW2 communist regime although it was sponsored by the communist authorities. The film follows the life of József Pelikán, an ordinary dike keeper who was elevated to the communist elite after he illegally slaughters his pig. The film has won a cult following and was well-received by critics and general audiences after it was released outside the country. The witness was shown in the Cannes Classic at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.

 

2. Mephisto (1981)

Mephisto is a drama film adapted from the same-name novel, following a passionate stage actor, who finds himself caught in between the apolitical position and the Reich’s doctrine in the early 1930s Germany. The Faustian struggle never ends well, there is always a price for success. As he finds out his best performance for the Nazi Patrons, excels his existence, he was then put into dilemma. Critically acclaimed by the critics, the film was the first Hungarian film that won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.

 

3. Merry-go-round(1956)

Directed by Zoltán Fábri, Merry-go-round is a 1956 Hungarian drama film, depicting a forbidden love story of the promising young farmer girl Mari Pataki, who was put into an arranged marriage to an old but rich man who does business with her father, just to pursue the prospective wealth. The girl doesn’t want to compromise and is ready to stand up to protect her love. Receiving positive reviews, the film competed at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival and was later screened again in the Cannes Classic at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.

 

4. Control (2003)

Directed by Nimród Antal, Control is a 2003 Hungarian film screened internationally. It is a comedy thriller that depicts Bulcsú, a strange young man who is a ticket inspector working for the Budapest Metro system, who insists on checking a rider who has paid the fare. Hence, a rival triggers, and a crime, a possible killer, and a tale of love ensued. Control was screened and competed in a number of film festivals in Europe and North America, and selected to be the Hungarian entry for Best Foreign Language Film for the 2004 Academy Awards.

 

5. Satantango (1994)

Satantango means Satan’s Tango, which is a 1994 Hungarian epic drama directed by Béla Tarr. Following his classic style in black and white, the film is more than seven hours long. Based on the novel of the same name, the film documents the breaking down of a collective farm after the residents find the Irimiás, a dead former co-worker who returns to the community. As an independent arthouse filmmaker, Béla Tarr is recognized for his slow-paced arthouse style and Satantango is widely acclaimed by film critics for his artistry.

 

6. Werckmeister Harmonies(2000)

 Directed by Béla Tarr and Ágnes Hranitzky, the film is adapted from a novel of the same name that follows the life of the naive young man, who witnesses the dramatic violence in his hometown after the arrival of a circus. Werckmeister Harmonies is in black and white with slow-paced shots, showcasing life in the communist Hungarian era, in which helpless citizens live. The film is a classic that articulates Béla Tarr’s inquest of philosophical problems. Well-received by critics, Werckmeister Harmonies is listed as one of the major cinematic works of the 21st century.

 

7. Son of Saul (2015)

 Son of Saul is László Nemes’s feature debut, a Hungarian fiction of the Holocaust that depicts a day-and-a-half life of Saul Ausländer, a Jewish Hungarian concentration camp prisoner in WW2 who wants to give a proper burial for his dead child that he mistakenly recognized. The film won the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Universally acclaimed by critics, the film is appraised for the cinematography, soundtracks, and theme that articulates the fierce courage in living hell.

 

Part 3: Where Can You Watch Hungarian Film?

Now you know the Hungarian new release and the classic, what are you waiting for? Go check them out using the streaming services below!

 

1. Curzon Home Cinema

Curzon Home Cinema is a leading platform for arthouse cinema screening. The platform mainly distributes European films and you can find the best Hungarian films using indexes like actor, director, genre, and country. Curzon Home Cinema doesn’t offer a subscription service but is based on pay-per-view. Members can usually get a discount and exclusive free access to certain films. So if you want to keep the Hungarian classics forever, it’s better to download them with Leawo Video Downloader otherwise you have to pay for it next time.

 

2. BFI Player

Supported by the British Film Institute, the BFI player is where you can find a selection of classic and world cinema. The platform owns a slew of canons that you don’t usually find on ordinary streaming services, from Italian classics to Euro auteurs, to modern arthouse, all canon titles on this go-to platform. The extensive archives sometimes allow free access, yet BFI offers a subscription for £4.99, which is lower than many platforms. You can surely find the best Hungarian films here with ease.

3. Mubi

Mubi is a global film streaming platform that mainly screens films by emerging and established filmmakers. You can find a lot of European art films that are exclusively available on the platform. Mubi offers 7 days free trial just like any streaming service, you can then choose to get monthly and annual subscriptions and download to IOS or Android afterward. If you want to enjoy the films completely offline, then you can always download them using Leawo Video Downloader for better continuity without worrying about the connection.

While online streaming seems normal these days, it’s better to download the videos with the most powerful tool - Leawo Video Downloader to your computer so you can enjoy them anytime and anywhere. The downloader supports 1000+ video websites, such as YouTube, Hulu, Facebook, and many more. With Leawo Video Downloader, you can download the top 10 Hong Kong Dramas and save The Daily Show from YouTube TV if you have been using YouTube subscriptions.

Want to keep the best Hungarian films forever for offline access? Simply install Leawo Video Downloader using the links above, and follow the steps below.

 

Step 1. Set the Output Directory. Launch Leawo Prof. Media you just downloaded. Click the Gear icon in the top left to set the output directory.

Step 2. Locate Leawo Video Downloader. Click the “Video downloader” on the main screen to enter the downloader module.

Step 3. Locate Source of Video. Enter the source video URL. The video you are watching will be detected directly and can watch it with the built-in browser.

Step 4. Download Videos. There are several resolutions and formats available, pick one that suits you. Click the “Download” button to proceed.

Step 5. Check Download Status. Click the “Downloaded” on the most right of the address box to look for the videos you have downloaded.

 

The best Hungarian films are all classics that are worth rewatching. Download these films with Leawo Video Downloader and you can enjoy them again anytime and anywhere!