Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has opened the National Film Institute’s expanded studio complex in Fót, on the outskirts of Budapest.
“Filmmaking has been in the blood of Hungarians since the silent film era and we were also there at the birth of Hollywood,” the Hungarian leader said at the opening.
NFI Studios has been the major production facility in Hungary since the 1980s. The expansion added four new soundstages, totalling 10,000 square meters of new studio space, 20,000 sqm. of auxiliary facilities, and 135,000 sqm. of green areas. Two of those four new stages can be connected using a soundproof mobile wall.
In recent times projects including The Witcher, Blade Runner 2049 and Terminator: Dark Fate have shot at NFI Studios. It also housed Robert Lantos’ sprawling TV epic Rise of the Raven.
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The NFI estimates the annual value of film and TV production in Hungary at almost $1B. It said that total has increased five-fold since 2018 as facilities have been developed and come on stream.
Last year Hungary’s 30% tax incentive for film and series productions was extended until 2030. NFI Studios leaders said the new studio capacity will address pent-up demand for space.
“Recently, Hungary faced a significant shortage in certified soundstage studio capacity,” said Ildiko Kovacs, head of NFI Studios. “The expansion allows NFI Studios to attract and host large-scale productions while still providing world-class facilities for high-end TV and film projects.”
Kovacs added: “The new soundstages are designed to be flexible enough to accommodate various types of productions and are in proximity to the backlot sets and support facilities like props and transportation.”
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