The festival will offer an opportunity for Hungarian filmmakers to meet other members of the profession from the rest of Europe ? young artists with one or two credits from new EU members have been invited to participate, the festival?s creative director Tamás Sas told a press conference in Budapest on Wednesday.
Fourteen countries will be represented on the festival?s film programme. The festival will open with the premiere of Hungarian director Miklós Jancsó?s ?Ede megevé ebédem? (Ede Has Eaten My Lunch. It will close with the award of the Golden Benjamin Prize to the best filmmaker.
In addition to the screenings at six venues around the city, the festival will feature events for audiences and film professionals, talks and concerts.
The quality and quantity of films on this year?s programme have improved compared to last year, said Pécs deputy mayor Tibor Gond.
The festival is one of the events Pécs is using to prepare itself to take the European Capital of Culture title in 2010. When the city takes the title, it is hoped the festival will become one of Europe?s definitive film events.
The Ministry of Education and Culture has allocated HUF 25 million in budget support for the film festival this year, undersecretary at the ministry Márta Schneider said.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
