With the support of the ELTE University Film Club, the National Cultural Fund (NKA), and the Hungarian Documentary Filmmakers’ Association (MADOKE), a documentary film screening series featuring works by Hungarian filmmakers is being launched. The next screening will feature Balázs Simonyi’s 2017 film Ultra.
Date: Tuesday, April 14, 6:00 p.m.
Venue: University Square Campus, Weiss Emilia Hall (1053 Budapest, Egyetem tér 1–3., ground floor, in the hallway next to the coat check)
How far must you go to get closer to yourself? Ultra takes you to the limits of physical endurance and the depths of the human soul. Balázs Simonyi and his film crew document the struggles of five competitors in the legendary Spartathlon race – and what makes the film truly unique is that the director is himself a multiple finisher, and one of the five protagonists is the filmmaker himself.
The Spartathlon has a time limit of 36 hours; during this race, which winds from Athens to Sparta and conquers a 1,200-meter-high mountain, finishers cover 246 kilometers. Commemorating an ancient legend, this test of strength – one of the toughest and most prestigious races in the world – concludes in front of the statue of King Leonidas.
We learn about the competitors’ personal motivations – both during the race and beyond – and why they’re taking on this extreme distance. The toughest challenge faces Béla, a small-town financial controller who has already tried five times without success – the organisers won’t accept his entry, so he’s running a “Private Spartathlon”: he’ll set off from Athens when the others have already arrived in Sparta. Will he reach the finish line on his sixth attempt, relying solely on himself and his wife’s help?
Made with state-of-the-art technology and rich in spectacular drone footage, Ultra is a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable cinematic experience. In 2017, the film was shortlisted for the European Film Award, among 15 films deemed worthy of the honor.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItDpsmPb8fQ
Our guests for the post-screening discussion are Balázs Simonyi, the film’s director and lead actor, and producer László Józsa.
Dr. Balázs Simonyi studied at the Faculty of Humanities at ELTE between 1998 and 2006, earning degrees in film theory/film history, Hungarian language and literature, and aesthetics. He studied at the Doctoral School of Philosophy at ELTE’s Faculty of Humanities, and in 2025 earned a PhD from the Doctoral School of Literary Studies at Pázmány Péter Catholic University on the topic of contemporary documentary film. Since 2002, he has been a freelance creative: he produces films and long-term photo series, as well as commercials, image films and television programs. His films have been invited to hundreds of festivals, including several Oscar-nominated events and A-category film festivals.
László Józsa, cinematographer and producer, is the head of the Speak Easy Project (SEP). The founders established the Berlin-based sister company in 2014. SEP produces commercials, communication projects, television programs, and documentaries.
Seating is limited, so please register in advance by email.
