Minister Trapped in Film Horror

As we reported on Friday, the Hungarian film industry has been rocked by revelations that favored filmmakers have gotten public money for their movies after it was clear that the pictures were flops. Now it turns out that large chunks of state change have gone to films that were never completed. According to index.hu, between 1998 and 2003 the Hungarian Motion Picture Public Foundation (MKK) awarded filmmakers a total of Ft 2.2 billion (nearly €9 million) to make movies that haven't yet been finished - or even started.

Based on data available on MKK's site, 100-120 movies that had received state funding over the years in question have not been released. Filmmakers were awarded an additional Ft 1.2 billion in 2004 to make movies that no one has yet seen. As some of the data regarding previous years are missing from the site the total amount of financial support could end up being even higher.

Index could not reach MKK Director Ferenc Grunwalsky or Head Secretary Erzsébet Tóth for comment, so it remains unclear how much of the Ft 2.2 billion was merely promised, rather than actually disbursed.

While Culture Minister András Bozóki (above) has announced that he will ask for an investigation into the funds-for-flops scandal, he apparently has not yet commented on the financing of films that never open. We reckon this will not last for long, however, as every successful horror picture always has a sequel, and most even a "Part III."