The Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival is the oldest and most prestigious documentary film festival in Hungary; it has been held in Budapest every November since 2004, and has enjoyed a presence in Kecskemét, Pécs, Szeged, Debrecen and Szombathely for several years now. The festival showcases the best creative documentaries to an increasingly wide and diverse audience, and creates a forum to discuss current social issues relevant to the given films and professional programs.
Entries are accepted in three categories. The International Competition is a collection of documentary films from across the globe focusing on human rights and social issues. The winner of the Best Human Rights Film Award will be chosen from the International Competition by the Student Jury, consisting of international university students. In 2021, this award was given to the Chilean-Swedish co-production Arica, while the film Brotherhood received Special Mention from the jury. The Student & Debut Film Competition for graduate projects and debut films is also centered around human rights and social issues. It is judged by an international panel of renowned experts who take into account the films’ professional excellence and creative approach to the chosen subject. In 2021, Anna Artemyeva’s short film Don’t Hesitate to Come for a Visit, Mom won in this category. The Hungarian Competition, judged by a professional international jury, is open to documentary films produced entirely or partially in Hungary. In 2021, Alexa Bakony’s Colors of Tobi received the Best Hungarian Film award, and two special mentions were awarded to Tales from the Prison Cell (directed by Ábel Visky), and I Still Remember (by Flóra Chilton).
The winners in all three categories receive a monetary prize.
Entry conditions:
● Submissions are free.
● A film can only be submitted to one category.
● Applicants may submit multiple titles.
● There are no restrictions regarding the year in which the film was made.
● Films previously entered may not be resubmitted.
● Films that are not in English are expected to be submitted with English subtitles.
● Submission deadline: 31 May 2022
● Notification deadline: September 2022
