The Verzió Film Festival returns this year with an enriched lineup of professional programmes set for 7-10 November, aiming to engage both seasoned professionals and the general public. Among the festival highlights is the first presentation of freeSZFE, a documentary capturing the 71-day occupation of a Hungarian university, alongside a session on the post-production journey of the festival’s opening film, KIX, which spans over a decade of production.

Key components of Verzió’s professional schedule include DOCPRO & DOCLAB, which will host masterclasses, panel discussions, and an open DocLab pitch forum. These sessions offer unique insights into the documentary filmmaking process and are designed to foster engagement with the public. Six international projects will be showcased at the DocLab Pitch, featuring an exclusive preview of scenes from freeSZFE, providing a rare glimpse into the tense experience of those behind the blockade.

Several masterclasses promise to deepen understanding of specialized topics. Bálint Révész and Réka Kiss Viki Réka will discuss the 12-year post-production journey of KIX, while Dan Curean will delve into the challenges of utilizing private archives. Ethical considerations in documentary filmmaking, particularly when addressing sensitive themes and incorporating outside perspectives, will be a focal point across the programme.

Panel discussions, guided by figures such as writer #Krisztián Marton#, producer #Alex Shiriaieff#, journalist #Janka Pozsonyi#, and director #Dorottya Zurbó#, will examine pressing issues like media independence and political challenges. The festival concludes with a screening of fieldwork films from Hungarian and international documentary classes, followed by a discussion with #Tamás Almási# and #Attila Kékesi#. Open to all, these events offer a unique look behind the scenes of documentary filmmaking.