Hungary will be the guest of honor at this year’s Lumière Festival in Lyon, taking place from October 11 to 19, with a special focus on the cinematic legacy of Oscar-winning director István Szabó, the National Film Institute (NFI) announced on Friday.
As one of the world’s leading festivals dedicated to film heritage, the Lumière Festival will feature three of István Szabó’s most celebrated films — Father, the Academy Award-winning Mephisto, and Being Julia — all newly restored and presented in pristine quality. Each screening will be introduced by Szabó himself, who will also host a masterclass during the festival.
The event draws major international film figures, and this year’s edition will welcome guests including Michael Mann, Sean Penn, Natalie Portman, John Woo, and István Szabó.
“This is a tremendous honor and a major opportunity to bring international attention to Hungary’s film heritage,” said György Ráduly, Director of the NFI’s Film Preservation and Technology Division. “Thanks to our long-standing relationship with the Institut Lumière, we have the chance to showcase newly restored Hungarian classics each year at one of the world’s premier film heritage festivals.”
Hungary’s participation is not limited to screenings. The NFI will also take part in the festival’s industry programs, including a roundtable discussion titled “A Reversed Model: Concrete Measures to Promote Hungary’s Film Heritage.” Panelists will include György Ráduly; Viktória Sovák, Director of the NFI Filmlab; and Csaba Bereczki, Head of Distribution and International Relations at the NFI.
Organized in the birthplace of cinema, the Lumière Festival was founded in 2009, by Thierry Frémaux, Artistic Director of the Cannes Film Festival, and French director Bertrand Tavernier. It serves as a prestigious platform for restored films and international cinema history.
Since 2017, the NFI has participated annually in the festival. Previous Hungarian highlights have included a special retrospective of André de Toth in 2022, Judit Elek’s Tomorrow (2023), and the silent film After Death in 2024.
This year marks a new milestone, with Hungary taking center stage in the festival’s renowned Marché du Film Classique (Classic Film Market)—a rare spotlight on a national film archive in the global arena.
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