The event runs from April 25 to 28 in the city of Pápa, noted for its baroque architecture, which sits just 160 km from Budapest, Hungary.
By Daria Trifu
At the invitation of film director Zsolt Pozsgai, the founder of the Pápa International Historical Film Festival, my colleague, director, and member of the European Film Academy, Bruno Pischiutta, and I will be on the jury of this important awards show.
The festival is the brainchild of internationally-awarded film and theater maestro Zsolt Pozsgai, who launched it in 2020 to showcase and celebrate films that relate to events and periods in history that have already taken place from antiquity to the 20th century.
The festival held its first edition in 2020. Due to the COVID pandemic, the event took a break the following year. It returned with force in 2022 and has been running successfully ever since.
Zsolt tells me with pride that “the main purpose of our festival is not only to award prizes—of course, this is the most beautiful task—but also to allow film professionals, directors, writers, and producers from all over the world to get to know each other. From every continent! This means that we host the creators of the finalist films and pay for their travel, accommodation, and full board.”
The festival takes place in the city of Pápa, which has a significant Hungarian historical past, and it offers a unique atmosphere for creative minds. While the accommodation is modern, an antique castle is used for receptions and a modern cinema for screenings. The setting creates a perfect backdrop for this celebration of historical movies.
I know Zsolt Pozsgai from some years, and I have watched a few of his films, which I consider ‘pearls of cinema’. They are crafted, they are verbally and visually imperative, and they are giving the viewer a level of cinematic experience that matches that of classic BBC period dramas of the highest level. Some of his movies, such as The Devoted, The Lover of the Soil, Darking Way, and Red Faust, can be watched on the streaming channel Global Cinema Online worldwide.
Pozsgai’s cinematic reputation precedes him, and I am certain that, under his guidance, the Pápa International Historical Film Festival is here to stay and grow into one of the most important and recognized film festivals in the world.
I can’t wait to visit Pápa, to meet the fellow filmmakers in attendance, and most importantly, to watch the films and documentaries in competition. D!
Daria! 