Pongrácz Erzsébet: The Cinemas of Budapest - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1998)

Its programming is quite unique - as well as hosting minority events and film premieres, it screens films ignored by the large distributors.

Highlights have included the Week of the Other, the Gypsy Holocaust Film Week, the Jacques Rivette Film Week, the Soviet-Russian Avant-Garde Film Week, the Jewish Film Week, and events entitled Refugees and Enforced Migrants and Gay Hours. Its permanent exhibition room features photos and art objects thematically related to the problems of minorities. Its multicultural programmes, meant to further the educational causes embraced by the foundation, address issues related to racism, homelessness, AIDS, poverty and drugs.

Tea and other drinks are available in the foyer.

The multiplex cinema

The end of the 20th century has brought with it major functional changes for the cinema. The time of small suburban theatres is over. They are being replaced by a financially more feasible, more advanced establishment - the multiplex cinema. Alongside the ART Cinema Chain, itself an essential feature of the cultural life of Budapest, there is an ever widening choice of commercial cinemas with multiplex programmes. These cinemas employ state-of- the-art projection and sound technologies which, together with giant-sized screens, comfortable seats and supplementary services, leave little to be desired. The multiple- screen system offers a broad selection of high standard entertainment catering for various tastes. And if family members opt for different films, what more can be lost than sharing fun?

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