IN FOCUS

Once again (and by now one could even say, ‘as is our tradition’), audiences have the opportunity of meeting celebrities in person at the 3rd Budapest Classics Film Marathon. The nurturing of traditions perhaps best suits a film festival of the classics. Perhaps it is precisely the chance to meet VIPs in person that makes a festival a film festival: a celebration for both artists and audiences. In 2019, the Film Marathon is proud and delighted to welcome Pierre Richard, the very French, the very blonde, the very blue eyed perennially youthful star of the film The Tall Blonde Man with One Black Shoe and very many other madcap comedies. Michael Nyman, one of the most significant composers of our age, will be presented with the Grand Prix of the festival. He has not only written scores for legendary films but he is also an accomplished opera composer and film artist. The Dutch actress Johanna ter Steege travels to Budapest for the screening of the fully restored István Szabó film Sweet Emma, Dear Böbe; she played one of the title roles in the film that won a Silver Bear in Berlin in 1992. The legendary blondness of Magda Vášáryová, who was born in Banská Štiavnica (Selmecbánya), is irresistible whether cut long, medium or short. Audience members have the opportunity to meet and talk with the artist prior to the screening of Cutting It Short, but we are also screening her great film Marketa Lazarová which is rarely shown in Hungary. The films of Marcell Jankovics are exceptionally visual masterpieces. They can now be viewed in restored form on the big screen, in the presence of the master. Prior to the showing of Psyche directed by Gábor Bódy, which is perhaps the best film starring Udo Kier, the German artist will talk about his long and fascinating career as a film actor.