Welcome to the site of the III. Pápa International Historical Film Festival! It is a great pleasure to us that You have visited us, and we hope that we will host as many film professionals as possible.
Since the main aim of our festival is not only to distribute awards – of course, this is the most beautiful task – but rather to make film professionals, directors, writers, producers get to know each other from all over the world. From every continent!
What do we mean by ‘historical film’? Films which are related to events and periods already completed in history. Topics can depict any period, event from the antiquity until the 20th century.
Periods of human history which our children only know from schoolbooks, literary works. Among these, Cleopatra’s story can take part, or a key experience of the 20th century, the Communism, or anything else.
From 2024, we will also be awarding prizes for non-historical films, so you can enter a film that doesn't belong in the historical category!
In the category of ‘Feature Film’, we expect the so-called traditional historical films. But we also start a category of ‘Experimental Film’, as we also would like to receive some films which do not have a traditional approach to the historical topic, not only ones which were shot from a realistic point of view. We also expect innovative works in the case of documentaries, and the same applies to the category of ‘Short Historical Feature’ as well as ‘Short Documentary’.
We also announced an opportunity of competition for young people studying film at university.
The festival takes place in Hungary, in the town of Pápa. Pápa has a significant Hungarian historical past, its present image also represents that. We would like to organize this festival in a historical atmosphere, at a place where everything is provided for the artists to enjoy themselves. Modern accommodation, yet streets with historical milieu. Enormous castle for the receptions, yet modern cinema for the screenings.
The jury consists of excellent international film experts. We meet freely between 25-28 april, 2024!

Best Feature film
Best Documentary film
Best Experimental film
Best Short Documentary
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Cinematographer
Best Editor
Best Music
"Andrew Laszlo" Special Award - 1.000 UsD.
Jury Special Award

Terms & Conditions

All submissions:
PIHFF accepts international and Hungarian films, whether they are fiction films,
documentaries or animations, regardless of length, genre, or subject matter.
The films should fit into the category of “historical film”, meaning we expect fiction
films, documentaries, animations and short films dealing with already completed past
events, periods. The topics could cover any happenings from the antiquity until the
20 th century.
From 2024, we will also be awarding prizes for non-historical films, so you can enter a film that doesn't belong in the historical category!
We are especially glad to receive historical films whose world premiere is at this
festival. We particularly appreciate and even evaluate such films.
The submitted films had to be completed after January 1st, 2018.
The films must have at least their Hungarian premiers at the festival (i.e. it is a
prerequisite that they have not have been screened publicly in Hungary prior to the
2020 festival, including a broadcast version of any length).

The films must be in English, subtitled in English or English versioned.

Submission Fee and deadlines
The price of submission is available at the exclusive partner of the festival, the
FilmFreeway. Submission is also only possible via FilmFreeway. Please note that
submission fees contribute to the administrative duties carried out by our festival
team and previewing panel. These fees are essential to the sustainability of our
festival and therefore we are unable to offer waivers.
Deadline for submissions is 15 march 2024.

Programming Consideration
PIHFF will consider both international and Hungarian films, whether they are fiction
films or documentaries, regardless of length or subject matter.

All submissions will be given full consideration by our programming team.

Programming Decisions
The final decision on programming, categorization, and scheduling of films will be
determined by the Festival programming team. Their decision is final (and not open
to negotiation). Successful applicants will receive this information in their official
invitation.
No screeners or application materials will be returned. Do not send film prints, master
tapes or other originals.
If your film is selected, you will receive a more detailed form asking for promotional
materials needed for our catalogue and website (delivering these on time and in the
right format is 100% your responsibility). We expect all submitted films to be free of
screening fees.
You can expect your film to be screened 1-2 times during the festival. The project aims to reach audiences that would otherwise not have a chance to see our program.

Selected Films
PIHFF features three juried competition programs: the fiction films /Best Feature film,
Best Drama Film, Best Director, Best Script, Best Cinematographer, Best Editor, Best
Actors/ and the same type of awards will be distributed in the categories of the
documentaries and the short films. There will be several other programs that are non-
competitive.
There is an opportunity to meet Hungarian film distributors at the festival. We also
help in negotiations concerning the distributions of films in Hungary, in the network of
cinemas as well as on television.

Travel & Accommodation
For officially selected films, PIHFF wants to provide as much support as possible to
filmmakers attending the Festival. We hope that we will have the opportunity to
provide first class accommodation and full board for two people from all selected
productions free of charge. As long as the budget of the film festival permits it, we will
make an effort to cover the airplane travel too. The transfer from Budapest to Pápa
will be provided by the festival by specific vehicles.
For feature-length films, PIHFF will do its best to bring a representative to Pápa
(Hungary) for each invited film.

For all selected films, PIHFF will provide Festival accreditation for every credited
director.
The conditions of the accreditation will be available on the website of the festival from
January 2024. The aim of the organizers of the festival is to host as many artists as
possible, as apart from the competition, we would like if new professional
relationships, friendships, were born among the film professionals gathering from the
world.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Sly Wonski

    Very nice festival experience. I loved the intimacy, the team and their hospitality, the dinner parties, the screenings and the lovely town as well. !!! THANK YOU !!! and big thanks to the jury to receive the "Future Award" for my european premiered film F.W.M. Symphony (AT 2022).

    May 2023
  • Amazing Festival. Excellent communication. I couldn't attend the festival but they had great hospitality. They do care about the filmmakers! An authentic gem.

    May 2023
  • Simone Brioni

    It was a great honor to participate at Pápa International Historical Film Festival with my documentary film "Beyond the Frame". Thank you for the selection!

    May 2023
  • A magnificent festival organized by a true cinema expert and dedicated staff. High quality program, many talented filmmakers present, friendly atmosphere, excellent communication… It was such a great experience and a great honor to be a part of III Pápa IHFF!

    May 2023
  • Markus Fischer

    The Black spider : best Director Award

    April 2023