The films, selected in a vote by Art Cinema cinema managers, were recognised at an award ceremony at Budapest's Puskin Cinema on Wednesday evening. Chairman of the Hungarian Motion Picture Foundation Ferenc Grunwalsky presented the awards.
"White Palms" producers Ági Pataki and Iván Angelusz, director Szabolcs Hajdu and distributor Hungarotop managing director Pál Prukner collected the award for the best Hungarian film.
"White Palms", a film which tracks the progress of a young gymnast, is Hungary's entry for best foreign-language film at the 2007 Oscars. It received the best director award and the foreign film critics' award at last year's Hungarian Film Week.
Ferenc Port, managing director of Budapest Film, the Hungarian distributor of "Volver", was presented the award for best foreign film.
"Volver" won the Best Screenplay and the Best Actress awards at last year's Cannes Film Festival.
The Art Cinema Association awards ceremony was also attended by Budapest Mayor Gábor Demszky and undersecretary at the Ministry of Education and Culture Márta Schneider.
It is the first time the Art Cinema Association has presented the awards, which aim to encourage cinemas to show high quality films as well as recognise the work of producers, directors and distributors.
The Art Cinema Association is a professional organisation, founded in 1989, which operates 14 cinemas in Budapest and 23 outside of the capital with a combined 70 screens.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
