MOVIE NEWS – Nóra Lakos’s coming-of-age story I Accidentally Wrote a Book won the Best Film award at the European A-category film festival, the Tallinn Black Nights Just Film International Film Festival. The feature-length family film, co-produced by JUNO11 Pictures and the Dutch BIND with the support of the National Film Institute, the Nederlands Filmfonds and Eurimages, stars Demeter Villő, László Mátray, Kati Zsurzs, Bonca Hárs, Vivien Rujder, Réka Tenki, Rozi Lovas and Zoltán Mucsi. The film will be distributed by JUNO11 Distribution and the Human Rights and Cultural Foundation and will be released in Hungarian cinemas on January 16.

There has been a huge shortage of children’s films in Hungary for decades, which is why it is a great achievement that a Hungarian family film won an award at the prestigious film festival, the Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival’s Just Film Youth and Children’s Film Festival program. The heartwarming coming-of-age story received a lot of attention at the international premiere, which won the children’s jury’s award for best film with its unique visuals, captivating atmosphere and sensitivity. The crew and leading actors were also present at the international premiere of the Dutch-Hungarian co-production, a family film that promises unadulterated entertainment for all ages. The award ceremony took place on November 23, and writer-director Nóra Lakos accepted the award. The film, which they would immediately show to their own families, is visually captivating and its themes are easy to relate to – the children’s jury explained its decision. “The main message is that creative work can overcome any difficulty, and we must follow our dreams under all circumstances” – they added. The Tallinn Black Nights Just Film festival was created with the aim of helping children and young people learn about the world around them through films. In the festival’s twenty-four-year history, films such as the Harry Potter franchise and episodes of the Twilight saga have been presented here, among others.

I Accidentally Wrote a Book is a gap-filling, (s)writer-funny family film that introduces viewers to the life of a lovely, slightly eccentric family with well-known actors, special locations and magical animation elements: Nina’s (Demeter Villő) main desire is to become a writer – she inherited her creativity from her father, an animation director (László Mátray). Her everyday life is disrupted by her left-handed magician younger brother (Bonca Hárs), and since her mother (Rozi Lovas) died early, her somewhat rigid aunt (Réka Tenki) serves as a female role model in the family. When a new love (Vivien Rujder) enters her father’s life, Nina, following the guidance of the bohemian writer living next door (Kati Zsurzs), processes the loss of her mother with the help of writing and opens her heart to the new family member and her first love (Barnabás Kövécs).

The family film I Accidentally Wrote a Book is written and directed by Nóra Lakos, produced by Claudia Sümeghy and Tamás Yvan Topolánszky, who also wrote CURTIZ and Heights and Depths, as well as Nóra Lakos, and Dutch co-producers Maaike Neve and Joram Willink. The film, which is the first green production of the National Film Institute, is co-produced by JUNO11 Pictures and the Dutch BIND with the support of the Nederlands Filmfonds and Eurimages, and is presented by JUNO11 Distribution and the Human Rights and Cultural Foundation. The production is produced by Erika Tarr, directed by Dániel Reich, produced by Juci Szurdi, produced by Fruzsina Lányi, produced by Péter Báthory, produced by Jacob Meijer and Alexander Reumers, produced by Jacob Meijer and Alexander Reumers. In addition to the debuting Demeter Villő, the main roles are played by László Mátray, Kati Zsurzs, Vivien Rujder, Réka Tenki, Rozi Lovas, Zoltán Mucsi and Bonca Hárs. Following the screenings before the premiere at the end of December, the film will be released in cinemas nationwide on January 16, 2025.

Source: Press release