Budapest and Bavaria Move Closer Together

By Liza Foreman

Munich’s Bavaria Film Group have agreed on a partnership-based cooperation with Origo Film Studios in Budapest.

“Over the past two years, we have modernized our studio location, which covers an area of 30 hectares (74 acres) and consists of a total of 12 studios. We have successfully improved and expanded our production facilities and technical services for national and international filmmakers, and equipped the Bavaria studio lot with the utmost technical professionalism, state-of-the-art standards and expertise in all areas,” says Bavaria Film’s group managing director, Achim Rohnke.

“We are glad to have gained an interesting and highly motivated partner with Origo Film Studios, Budapest. This enables us to mutually co-offer and co-operate our studio services and mobile production services for major international productions all over Europe,” as Rohnke explains.

The Bavaria studio lot in Munich/Geiselgasteig is the most integrated production complex in Germany today, providing studios, decoration set-ups, equipment, postproduction, and a costume and prop pool. Europe-wide, it offers one of the most extensive services for film and TV productions. Bavaria’s service providers are among the market leaders in their respective market sector, with locations in Berlin, Cologne, Leipzig, Vienna and Prague. Bavaria Film offices in Los Angeles and Moscow round off the extensive range of expert services offered by the renowned Munich-based film-studio business.

Only three years ago, Hungarian Origo Film Studios were built on the outskirts of Budapest, just a 20-minute drive from the city center and Budapest’s main international airport. Origo Film Studios offer a total available production area of approx. 18,000 square meters on 9 sound stages The studios have already hosted the production “Die Hard V”, starring Bruce Willis. Angelina Jolie gave her debut as a director in the Origo Film Studios. In addition to studio services, production support such as equipment rental, postproduction and decoration set-ups are offered in-house.

Ilona Kecskes is chief executive officer of the Origo Film Group: “We believe that both companies will be able to meet and manage international competitive demands jointly and therefore even more effectively. In Germany and in Hungary, there are film funds and sponsorships with different focuses that can be optimally combined for our customers by our new partnership and cooperation.”