The Hungarian historical film Királytalálkozó (The Riddle Pact) has received three major honours at the Vegas Movie Awards, marking its first appearance on the international festival circuit. According to the filmmakers, the production was awarded Best Inspiration Film, Best Director for Zsolt Pozsgai, and Best Ensemble Cast, recognizing the work of actors including Attila Dolhai, Nelly Fésűs, Samu Puskás, Ramóna Gecse, Rodrigo Crespo, Ignác Farkas, Csaba Pindroch, and István Verebes.
Often referred to as the ‘Oscars of independent cinema’, the Vegas Movie Awards boasts a respected jury and a gala setting modelled after top-tier film industry events.
The jury highlighted the film’s consistently strong performances and meticulous direction, noting that although the subject—the secret summit of Hungarian King Charles Robert with his Czech and Polish counterparts in 1335—is rooted in local history, the film resonates on a universal level.
Unlike a traditional political drama, The Riddle Pact focuses on the human tensions and unresolved grievances between the leaders, which must be reconciled to form the historic alliance that later ushered in a period of peace and prosperity in Central Europe.
Shot in 2024 at the Eszterházy Palace in Majk, the production made use of AI-designed costumes and one of the industry’s most advanced smart cameras, operated by renowned cinematographer Gábor Szabó. The film was supported by Hungary’s National Film Institute and produced by M Ágnes Berecz under Horatio Film. The screenplay and direction were handled by Pozsgai himself, with Réka Epresi-Pálfai in charge of editing.
The Riddle Pact premiered a month ago at the Uránia National Film Theatre in Budapest. Pozsgai, who previously won Best Screenplay at the same festival two years ago, has been invited to personally receive the award statue at the gala ceremony in September.
The film is also in competition at the Moz.Go Film Festival in Veszprém and Balatonfüred, organized by the National Film Institute.
Related articles:
