Budapest Classic Film Marathon 2025

From September 16–21, the National Film Institute hosts the 8th international festival of restored film classics. The Budapest Classics Film Marathon returns with some of the most exciting Hungarian and international works of film history on the big screen, fully restored. For six days, across six venues, audiences can immerse themselves in cinematic history.

For four nights, Szent István Square becomes a free open-air cinema, where legendary films and special guests – Hungarian and international – create unforgettable experiences in front of the Basilica’s giant screen. Silent films come to life with live musical accompaniment, and never-before-seen cinematic treasures and new archive discoveries await viewers. Thousands of schoolchildren will discover the magic of classic cinema through free student screenings.

Don’t miss it – experience the golden age of the classics with us! See you at the Budapest Classics Film Marathon, September 16–21!

September 16., Tuesday

6:45 pm
Deadly Spring – Fábri Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 105 min, 1939
Director: László Kalmár
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Introduction: Attila Vörös, MWA, Klang operator, projectionist, NFI – Film Archive

7:00 pm
Two Stories from the Recent Past  (16) – Csortos Hall
Hungarian drama, colour, 106 min, 1979
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitles
Supporting film: Plate-boy (12)
Introduction: Péter Muszatics, Film historian 

7:30 pm
Openging Gala: Being Julia  – Main Hall
Canadian, American, Hungarian, English romantic comedy, colour, 104 min, 2004
Director: István Szabó
in English, with Hungarian subtitles
Supporting film: Lumière compilation , Gobelin compilation
Our guests at the Opening Gala are director István Szabó and producer Robert Lantos.



September 17., Wednesday

4:00 pm
Two Kids and the Pyramids – Csortos Hall
Hungarian, Egyptian adventure film, colour, 92 min, 1962
Director: Gyula Mészáros and Seif El Din Shawkat
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film: Travel Diary from Egypt
 Introduction: Levente Nagy, Researcher, archivist, NFI – Film Archive

5:45 pm
Rain or Shine – Fábri Hall
West Germany documentary, colour, 83 min, 1977
Director: Doris Dörrie and Wolfgang Berndt
in German, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Rita Boronyák, Researcher, archivist, NFI – Filmarchívum

6:00 pm
Lumiere! The Adventure Continues – Main Hall
French documentary, bw, 105 min, 2024
Director: Thierry Frémaux
in French, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Thierry Frémaux, director of the Lumière Institute in Lyon and the Cannes International Film Festival, director of the film

6:15 pm
Gilda – Csortos Hall
American film noir, bw, 110 min, 1946
Director: Charles Vidor
in English with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Péter Muszatics, film historian

7:45 pm
The Last Manuscript – Fábri Hall
Hungarian comedy, bw, 109 min, 1987
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film: Push button
Introduction: Péter Muszatics, film historian

8:30 pm
The Last Collage - Parajanov – Csortos Hall
Armenian, French documentary, colour, 70 min, 1995
Director: Ruben Gevorkyants and Krikor Hamel
in Armenian, Russian, French and Italian, with English and Hungarian subtitles

8:45 pm
Welcome to Lynchland – Main Hall
French documentary, colour, 62 min, 2024
Director: Stéphane Ghez
in French and English, with English and Hungarian subtitles

September 18., Thursday

5:30 pm
The producer and the director - Roundtable Discussion – Main Hall
In conversation with Robert Lantos, Atom Egoyan, David Cronenberg and István Szabó.
The discussion will be moderated by film critic Lili Mesterházy.
in English with, with Hungarian interpretation

5:30 pm
The Fanatics – Fábri Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 95 min, 1961
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitules 
Supporting film: Allegro vivace
Introduction: Péter Muszatics, film historian

5:45 pm
Warriors of Faith– Csortos Hall
Czech historical drama, colour, 112 min, 1947
Director: Vladimír Borský
in Czech, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Jakub Egermajer, Filmographer, Head of Cataloguing and Tereza Frodlová, Restorer, Curator, National Film Archive, Prague

7:00 pm
Ararat – Main Hall
Canadian, French drama, colour, 115 min, 2002
Director: Atom Egoyan
in English, Armenian, French, German and Turkish, with Hungarian subtitles
After the film, a discussion with director Atom Egoyan and producer Robert Lantos.
Moderator: producer Gábor Osváth.

7:45 pm
Hit and Run – Fábri Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 105 min, 1955
Director: Viktor Gertler
in Hungarian with English subtitules
Supporting film: The Barrier
Introducion: Gergő Gazdag, Film handling, digitisation, NFI – Filmarchívum

8:15 pm
Another Way – Csortos Hall
Hungarian drama, colour, 104 min, 1982
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitles
Supporting film: Fading in Time (6)
Introduction: Péter Muszatics, film historian

September 19., Friday

4:15 pm
Stromboli – Csortos Hall
Italian, American drama, bw, 107 min, 1949
Director: Roberto Rossellini
in Italian, English, Spanish, German and French, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Attila Vörös, MWA, Klang operator, projectionist, NFI - Film Archive

5:30 pm
Shawkat Mystery – Fábri Hall
Hungarian-Romanian documentary, 55 min, 2019
Director: Ágnes Maksay
in Hungarian and Arabic, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Kísérőfilm: A piramisok országában, Egyiptomi filmszínész a Budapest Filmstúdióban
Bevezető: Maksay Ágnes, filmrendező
Introduction by Ágnes Maksay, film director.
After the film, a discussion with Ágnes Maksay and Lóránd Boros. Moderator: Márton Kurutz, NFI – Film Archive.

6:00 pm
The Sweet Hereafter – Main Hall
Canadian drama, colour, 112 min, 1997
Director: Atom Egoyan
in English with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Atom Egoyan director and Robert Lantos producer

6:30 pm
The Mikado – Csortos Hall
English comedy, colour, 91 min, 1939
Director: Victor Schertzinger
in English, with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Galina Torma, Chief researcher, archivist, NFI – Film Archive

8:15 pm
A Man in a Loden Coat – Fábri Hall
Romanian thriller, colour, 81 min, 1979
Director: Nicolae Margineanu
in Romanian, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Bogdan Movileanu, Chief Curator, Cinemateca Romana

8:30 pm
Basic Instinct (18) – Main Hall 
American, French thriller, colour, 127 min, 1992
Director: Paul Verhoeven
in English with Hungarian subtitles

8:30 pm
Murder Melody  – Csortos Hall
Danish thriller, bw, 100 min, 1944
Director: Bodil Ipsen
in Danish, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Gergő Gazdag, Film handling, digitisation, NFI – Film Archive



September 20., Saturday

11:00 am
Being Julia  – Main Hall
Canadian, American, Hungarian, English romantic comedy, colour, 104 min, 2004
Director: István Szabó
in English, with Hungarian subtitles
Supporting film: Lumière compilation , Gobelin compilation

11:15 am
Two Stories from the Recent Past  (16) – Fábri Hall
Hungarian drama, colour, 106 min, 1979
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitles
Supporting film: Plate-boy (12)

1:00 pm
The Little Girl of Hanoi – Csortos Hall
North Vietnamese drama, bw, 72 min, 1974
Director: Hai Ninh
in Vietnamese, with English and subtitles
Introduction: Teréz Vince, film critic, curator

2:30 pm
The Street – Main Hall
German silent film, bw, 74 min, 1923
Director: Karl Grune
with German insert, Hungarian and English subtitles
Introduction: Attila Vörös, film scanner operator, projectionist, NFI – Film Archive

3:00 pm
Tale on the 12 Points – Csortos Hall
Hungarian comedy, bw, 92 min, 1956
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film: New Tenants (12)
Introduction: Péter Muszatics, film historian

3:00 pm
Two Kids and the Pyramids – Fábri Hall
Hungarian, Egyptian adventure film, colour, 92 min, 1962
Director: Gyula Mészáros and Seif El Din Shawkat
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film: Travel Diary from Egypt
Introduction: István Kispéter, Researcher, archivist, NFI – Film Archive

4:00 pm
Spring Time in a Small Town – Main Hall
Chinese melodrama, bw, 98 min, 1948
Director: Fei Mu
in Mandarin, with English and Hungarian subtitles

5:00 pm
The Adventures of King Pausole – Csortos Hall
French comedy, bw, 68 min, 1933
Director: Alexis Granowsky
in French, with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Galina Torma, Chief researcher, archivist, NFI – Film Archive

5:30 pm
City That Never Sleeps – Fábri Hall
American film noir, bw, 90 min, 1953
Director: John H. Auer
in English, with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Gergő Gazdag, Film handling, digitisation, NFI – Film Archive

6:00 pm
Elevator to the Gallows – Main Hall
French thriller, colour, 93 min, 1958
Director: Louis Malle
in French with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Jérôme Soulet, President of the Gaumont Archives

6:30 pm
The House Under the Rocks – Csortos Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 93 min, 1958
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film: Waltz

7:10 pm
Cold Days– Fábri Hall
Hungarian drama, war, bw, 96 min, 1966
Director: András Kovács
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film: Two Portraits
Introduction: Mariann Sipőcz, Head of Special Collections, NFI – Film Archive

8:15 pm
eXistenZ – Main Hall
English, French, Canadian sci-fi, colour, 97 min, 1999
Director: David Cronenberg
in English with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: David Cronenberg, director 

8:30 pm
Journey to Italy – Csortos Hall
Italian, French drama, bw, 97 min, 1954
Director: Roberto Rossellini
in Italian with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Judit Bárdos, film historian

September 21., Sunday

10:45 am
Hit and Run – Csortos Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 105 min, 1955
Director: Viktor Gertler
in Hungarian with English subtitules
Supporting film: The Barrier

11:00 am
The Sweet Hereafter – Main Hall
Canadian drama, colour, 112 min, 1997
Director: Atom Egoyan
in English with Hungarian subtitles

11:00 am
The Lost Paradise– Fábri Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 91 min, 1962
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film: From Dawn to Dusk (12)

2:00 pm
Spring Time in a Small Town – Csortos Hall
Chinese melodrama, bw, 98 min, 1948
Director: Fei Mu
in Mandarin, with English and Hungarian subtitles

2:45 pm
Love - 35 mm screening – Main Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 85 min, 1970
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Introduction: Péter Muszatics, film historian

3:00 pm
Road to Crime – Fábri Hall
Brazilian film noir, bw, 71 min, 1954
Director: Flamínio Bollini Cerri
in Portuguese, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Natalia Christofoletti Barrenha, independent curator, Cinema Mentire

4:45 pm
Moulin Rouge – Main Hall
English drama, colour, 119 min, 1952
Director: John Huston
in English, with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Galina Torma, Chief researcher, archivist, NFI – Film Archive

5:00 pm
The Last But One (16) – Fábri Hall
Hungarian drama, bw, 87 min, 1963
Director: Károly Makk
in Hungarian, with English subtitules
Supporting film:Deep Water
After the film, a roundtable discussion will be held with the participation of cinematographer Tamás Andor, film aesthete Gábor Gelencsér, and film director Péter Fazakas, moderated by Eszter Fazekas, head of film restoration and digitization, NFI – Film Archive.

5:45 pm
The Widow – Csortos Hall
South Korean drama, bw, 90 min, 1955
Director: Nam-ok Park
in Korean, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Teréz Vincze, film critic, curator

7:30 pm
Closing Gala: Barney’s Version – Main Hall
Canadian, Italian comedy, colour, 134 min, 2010
Director: Richard J. Lewis
in English, with Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Robert Lantos, Producer and Richard J. Lewis, Director

7:45 pm
The Girls – Csortos Hall
Swedish comedy, bw, 100 min, 1968
Director: Mai Zetterling
in Swedish, with English and Hungarian subtitles
Introduction: Gergő Gazdag, Film handling, digitisation, NFI – Film Archive

8:00 pm
Mr. Universe – Fábri Hall
Hungarian, American road movie, colour, 100 min, 1988
Director: György Szomjas
in English and Hungarian, with English and Hungarian subtitles

Ticket price: 1.000 HUF

The whole program of the Budapest Classics Film Marathon

Organizer: