The 21st Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival will once again highlight Hungarian filmmakers with its Hungarian Competition program, presenting six films that have received international recognition. Despite the challenges faced by the domestic documentary industry, these films offer personal and socially relevant stories, exploring themes from addiction recovery to unconventional family structures. The festival runs from 6 to 13 November in Budapest, followed by nationwide and online showings until November 24.

The Hungarian Competition was curated by Fanni Somlyai, Zsuzsa Debre, and Asia Dér, among others. Notable films include KIX, a 12-year chronicle of a boy’s transformation into a public enemy, and Beyond Rock Bottom, which follows two addicts’ tumultuous journey toward recovery. Eszter Nagy’s Cabin Pressure offers a portrait of a woman choosing to co-parent with a gay man, while Your Life Without Me by Anna Rubi explores the lives of mothers and children with disabilities, winning the Human Rights Award at the Sarajevo Film Festival.

Other highlights include The Lost Notebook, which follows the discovery of a diary documenting a Hungarian man’s 2,158 visits to cinemas, and Judit Surányi’s Crips, which humorously depicts four friends—three of whom use wheelchairs—on a holiday to Lake Balaton.

Despite underfunding, the competition showcases the resilience of Hungarian documentary filmmakers, with many films developed through the Verzió DocLab. The full festival program and tickets are available on the festival’s website, with tickets for Budapest screenings on sale starting in late October.