Alternative perspectives – Cinema 64 Amatőrfilm Stúdió / Closing screening and discussion
In the study of film history during the Kádár era, amateur filmmakers have received undeservedly little attention. This is particularly difficult because most of these films are not accessible: they have not been preserved, archived, or catalogued. Yet amateur films allow us to see the era in a light that brings us closer to a more accurate assessment of it.
Our three-part screening series attempts to fill this gap to some extent: we present films from the Cinema 64 Amatőrfilm Stúdió, which operated in Budapest between 1964 and 1971, a particularly exciting period in Hungarian cinema.
Schedule
Cinema 64 was organized horizontally, which was unthinkable at the time. Six young men in their twenties—István Dékány, Gyula Gulyás, János Gulyás, Ottó Nagy, Péter Ottovay, and Gábor Tolnai—founded the studio together. They wanted to break with the "hobbyist" approach that prevailed in the amateur film community at the time: they considered collectivism to be their creative method, and their main goal was to speak honestly and convincingly about the problems facing their own generation.
From the very beginning, the filmmakers were determined to publicize their films. They went wherever they could to screen their films—university clubs, cultural centers, or libraries—and, if necessary, they even brought their own projector with them. This time, they are coming to the screening room of ISBN+ with their films—however, the technology is now waiting for them on site.
Film screened: Gyula Gulyás: Disciples (1968, 61’, with English subtitles)
Following the screening, we will talk with film director Gyula Gulyás and social historian Zsolt K. Horváth, with art theorist Lilla Bényi serving as moderator. In addition to Disciples, the discussion will also cover Changes that Have Been (1979), a film made by the director in collaboration with János Gulyás, which is also connected to Cinema 64.
This is the last part of our three-part screening series.
Concept, organization: Lilla Bényi, Botond Emődy
Date: March 19, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
Venue: Baross utca 42, 1085 Budapest
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