Film Is One Of The Most Efficient Services

All those who actively participated in the activities of the military film studio in the past six decades were invited to the gala held on the occasion of the sixtieth jubilee of post-WWII Hungarian military filmmaking. In addition to them, Defence Minister Dr. Imre Szekeres, General (eng.) László Tömböl, the MoD Chief of Defence Staff, and retired brigadier general Professor János Szabó, the Rector of Zrínyi Miklós University of National Defence have also accepted the invitiation of the organizers. But well-known personalities like Péter Radnai, the editor-in-chief of the ’bunny magazine’ and former editor/host of the Hungarian Television’s military program ’Maneuver’ were also present at the event. The evening began with the invitees signing the commemorative poster prepared for the sixthieth jubilee.

– As the managing director of the company that operates the present military film studio I think it is my duty to start by saying that the six decades of military filmmaking have been indelibly inscribed upon the pages of the modern history of Hungarian military, and Hungarian film history in a wider sense. Professionals working in film production have contributed to the history of Hungarian film with a lot of outstanding works in the past six decades. It would be difficult to list the international recognitions, awards won by the colleagues of the studio with their works, earning recognition for Hungarian filmmakers. In the new millennium we have already won three awards at the Rome International Military Film Festival; the film about the Hungarian Defence Forces’ activities in 2009 has recently won a gold plaque – István Orgovány told the guests.

The managing director of the company emphasized: the military film studio was integrated into the organization of the MoD Zrínyi Communication Services Public Benefit Co. in 2000. Even though the status of the studio has not changed in the past ten years, there have been modifications in its tasks and operating mechanism. For a few years priority was given to solving the tasks with the help of professional external resources. However, in the second half of the decade it became obvious that the new tasks the content of which significantly changed – and their amount also increased – can be solved only with permanent colleagues who are experienced in the field of military film production, and an up-to-date technical background. In addition to that, the studio has managed to stabilize the professional staff, and meeting the demands of today’s world of the Internet has been considered a priority task. The countless short films on our website www.honvedelem.hu, made by the colleagues of the Military Film Studio clearly prove this.

In his opening address the managing director of the MoD Zrínyi Communications Nonprofit Ltd. also underlined that the technical equipments of the film studio have been modernized in recent years. Last year they received a new post

After the introduction the guests saw a movie about the six decades of military film production, then defence minister Dr. Imre Szekeres congratulated the studio in his speech.

– This film recalled a world that is closely connected with the history of the Hungarian Defence Forces. Film history says it all began in the early ’30s, when the Hungarian military of the period was given equal rights and its introduction to the public began. Wih the most modern tool of the period, the film – said the head of the portfolio, recalling that in World War II, the newsreel was the tool with the help of which the Hungarian society could see what was happening to the Hungarian soldiers far away from the country.

The defence minister stressed: film is one of the most efficient services. In recent years it has become one of the opinion-forming tools of society. According to Imre Szekeres, Hungarian society could and can learn the most about ’military life’ with the help of those who contribute to military film production.

– The studio has taken huge steps in recent years towards the expectations of the age we are living in, and in this changed world where the Internet has become one of the very important means of information gathering it is crucial that the military film studio and the works produced by it are present. Today the Internet is the main source of information not only for young people but for the middle aged and the elderly as well. Which makes it possible for the art form that can use the visual and audio tools as well to get to a great number of people – said the defence minister, also mentioning that the strict requirements of this world are high quality, speed, and authenticity, which have always been and still are typical features of the military film studio.

Following that Imre Szekeres thanked for the work of filmmakers who have helped in the past decades so that Hungarian society could see the life, work, and duties of the military.

– I am not revealing a secret when I tell you I am quite familiar with your work. Not only as the defence minister but also as a civilian; together with many other people I have always followed with attention your exciting short film releases and the information you gave us about this world. And naturally, I will check the website today, to see the coverage of this

Following the minister’s spech, retired brigadier general Professor Dr. János Szabó, the rector of Zrínyi Miklós University of National Defence shared his memories of military film production with the guests. In the opinion of the professor, today we live in a world where mediatization has a key role in our networking life.

– Military film production has developed together with modern social history, and within that it has always signified the actual situation of the defence sector. I can be grateful to my fate, for I got to the other side of the ’dividing line’ – because until then, I was only a spectator – when in the 1980s military filmmaking got interested in documentaries and I had the chance to work with a great team as an expert. In the middle of the internal processes that were under way in the military we analyzed problems that could not even be mentioned before, such as roughness, the formation of human relations, and the ethical issues of hierarchy – said the rector.

The management of the MoD Zrínyi Commuications Nonprofit Co. decided last year to bring back a tradition and award a Zrínyi commemorative ring to those who have done an excellent work for a longer period in the life and operation of the company and in the accomplishment of the tasks. At the anniversary retired colonel István Szentirmai, the former leader of the military film studio, director; Dr. Tiborné Balázs, editor; József Böjte, script editor, director; and Csaba Forgó, editor, director, the present leader of the military film studio received the Zrínyi commemorative ring from István Orgovány.

– Military filmmaking has been producing the film and today already the video documentaries of the history of the army and society for sixty years. It has developed together with the Hungarian cinema. Without the creators participating in filmmaking the knowledge we could collect about the past of our defence forces would be much poorer – said the former leader of the military film studio.

István Szentirmai continued with telling the guests that military filmmaking, by recording the events taking place in the military, is a true keeper of our history. The gala held on the occasion of the jubilee ended with a standing reception and an informal discussion, where the old colleagues had a chance to recall their memories in company.

In his toast General László Tömböl, the MoD chief of defence staff noted: the pictures and shots the guests of the gala have just seen brought back memories and woke deep feelings even in him, who is younger than military film production.

The chief of the defence staff thanked everyone who work in Hungarian military film production today. Who are not soldiers but they also do military service, just like the regular personnel. Since filming the exercises and trainings is at least as serious work as the job of those who carry out the tasks.

– With its own tools, its peculiar world, military filmmaking – like the minister mentioned – could even be one of the services of the Hungarian Defence Forces. For the impact they transmit and the impact they can make in Hungarian society has a great importance. Moreover, in times when the intention of the Ministry of Defence and the high command of the Hungarian Defence Forces is that we should ’socialize’ the cause of national defence. Make people understand that national defence is the duty of not only a small group, not only the Hungarian soldiers, but the entire society. When we have to make them realize that the Hungarian soldier and the defence forces do not exist for themselves; they serve the security of Hungarian society. I am convinced that the military film studio can do a lot in this respect – said László Tömböl.

Then József Böjte, a former colleague of the film studio asked the guests to remember those who cannot be with them on this day. And to remember those soldiers without whom they could not have made films like the one they have just seen.