Meet the Archive, a EYE Filmmuseum initiative, showcases exceptional stories about (early) film history, highlights forgotten filmmakers, reports on new cooperations and shows what often remains hidden: the behind the scenes of the day-to-day programming.
Because of the coronavirus measures, this year Meet the Archive will not take place in Eye Filmmuseum itself. However since this year marks the 75th anniversary of Eye, the collection specialists have created eight online installments of Meet the Archive to celebrate this milestone. The collection specialists will discuss the history of the collection, major conservation projects, and innovations in the area of restoration and screening practice.
“This year is very special because we have the opportunity to celebrate several anniversaries that are important from the aspect of the history of Hungarian film. Cameramen of the Lumière brothers shot the first footage in Hungary 125 years ago, the first directed Hungarian film debuted 120 years ago, and 90 years ago Hungarian sound film was born, the first triumph of which, Hyppolit, a lakáj (Hyppolit, the Butler), remains enormously popular even after the passage of nine decades. In 2017, when we launched the Budapest Classics Film Marathon, we undertook to showcase Hungarian film history, the impact of Hungarian filmmakers on global film history, and the great classics of universal film history on the big screen. To achieve this goal, we called on the family of international film archives, which since then have continuously sent their restored precious films to the Film Marathon. This year, we are once again inviting all lovers of cinema on an exciting journey through time from the era of silent films to recent decades, thus paying tribute to the talent of great filmmakers and artists.” 
