Hungary on screen: The surprising rise of a European film powerhouse

When most people think of Hungary, they picture goulash, thermal baths, or maybe a ruin pub on a Friday night. What doesn’t usually make the list is the fact that Hungary has quietly become one of Europe’s busiest film and television hubs. Yet the numbers, the studios, and the productions speak for themselves: this country is now a serious player in global screen culture.

Author: Phil Trasolini

Blockbuster numbers

In 2019, Hungary hit a record-breaking USD 565 million (~HUF 164 billion) in film and television production spending. To put that in perspective, it represented a 50% jump from the year before, and a staggering 94% of that spending came from international productions. Hollywood, in other words, has Hungary on speed dial.

The momentum hasn’t slowed. Industry analysts suggest that 2024 could be the year Hungary passes the USD 1 billion mark in production spend. That would be unprecedented for the country and would cement its position among Europe’s most important production destinations. The industry now employs close to 20,000 people, a remarkable figure for a nation of just under 10 million.

Why Hungary? The simple math of savings

Foreign producers aren’t flooding into Hungary for the paprika alone. The single biggest draw is the 30% tax rebate on all eligible production expenses. The system is streamlined, transparent, and efficient, which makes it extremely attractive for international studios trying to keep budgets under control.

Add to that the lower labour and production costs compared with Western Europe or North America, and the savings become dramatic: shooting in Hungary can be 25% cheaper than in the UK and 35% cheaper than in the United States. In an era of ballooning streaming budgets, that’s the kind of math executives love.

Studios to rival Hollywood

The financial incentives would mean little without the infrastructure to back them up. But Hungary has invested heavily in this area. The National Film Institute’s complex in Fót recently expanded with four brand-new studios, bringing total capacity to over 12,000 square meters. Origo Studios in Budapest remains one of the largest facilities in Central Europe, boasting sound stages, water tanks, and extensive green-screen capacity.

This infrastructure has made Hungary a natural home for big-budget projects. From Denis Villeneuve’s Dune to Blade Runner 2049, from The Witcher to Shadow and Bone, the list of international productions that have filmed here reads like a Netflix “Top 10” menu.

A growing talent pool

While international money continues to dominate, the local workforce is no longer just a supporting act. By 2024, around 80% of crews working on productions in Hungary were Hungarian nationals. And the world has taken notice. Set designers Zsuzsanna Sipos (Dune) and Zsuzsa Mihalek (Poor Things) both earned Oscars in recent years, evidence that the country’s technical talent is now competing at the very highest level.

Domestic productions: Ambition meets obstacles

Of course, the picture isn’t all Hollywood glitz. Domestic filmmaking in Hungary faces challenges, particularly in financing. Since the National Film Institute took over funding decisions, support has tended to concentrate on larger historical epics or projects that align with state-approved themes. Independent filmmakers often report difficulty accessing funding, leaving smaller, more experimental voices struggling to be heard.

That said, local productions do break through. The 2025 release Rise of the Raven—a lavish, Hungarian–Austrian co-production about medieval general János Hunyadi—was one of the most expensive European television projects ever, costing roughly HUF 25.6 billion (~USD 70 million). Filmed in multiple languages for authenticity, it drew record-breaking audiences in Hungary and is now streaming abroad. The ambition is there; the resources, increasingly, are too.

The living room economy

The screen industry isn’t just about studio lots and film crews; it’s also about viewers. Hungary’s TV and video market is projected to reach USD 977 million in 2025, with nearly 8 million active users—almost the entire adult population. Annual growth is modest at about 1.9%, but with penetration already so high, the real story is stability. Hungarian audiences are loyal consumers of both international blockbusters and homegrown productions.

The double-edged success story

Hungary’s film and TV industry is a fascinating paradox. On one side, it is a European success story: a country of fewer than 10 million people hosting billion-dollar productions, building state-of-the-art studios, and producing Oscar-winning designers. On the other hand, it is a field where domestic filmmakers often find themselves squeezed between international giants and centralised funding structures.

This duality gives the industry its character. Big-budget spectacles bring global attention, while passionate local voices fight to keep storytelling authentic and diverse. Both dynamics are essential—and both will shape where the industry heads next.

Fade to credits

The Hungarian film and TV sector has grown into something few outside the region would have predicted twenty years ago. It’s no longer just a convenient stand-in for “generic Eastern Europe” in Hollywood thrillers; it is now a production centre with its own gravitational pull. International productions bring money and prestige, local talent brings artistry and skill, and domestic creators continue to carve out space in an increasingly crowded market.

For anyone watching from the outside, Hungary’s role in global screen culture is one of the country’s most compelling storylines. And unlike most blockbusters, this one isn’t set to end anytime soon.

Author bio: Phil Trasolini is a Canadian writer and actor living in Hungary. He explores Hungarian culture, art and lifestyle through insightful stories, connecting local traditions with global perspectives.

Read more film-related news stories on Daily News Hungary.

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