MOVIE NEWS – The University of Theatre and Film Arts has opened an investigation after Farkas Franciska publicly described the treatment she experienced during its multi-stage admissions process. According to the actress, committee members criticized her age, questioned her decision to apply, and even challenged her choice to perform a Roma folk song for a specialization devoted to national minority cultures.

Farkas Franciska recently published a video describing what allegedly occurred during her admissions examination at Hungary’s University of Theatre and Film Arts, commonly known as SZFE. She said committee members asked why she had selected a Roma folk song, even though she is a Roma actress applying specifically for the school’s national minority cultures specialization. University leadership later announced an internal investigation into the claims made in the recording.

The actress grew up in a poor Roma family in Gyöngyös and spent years working as a retail employee alongside her acting career. She also supported talented Roma children through an arts foundation before gaining wider recognition through the leading role in Viktória – A zürichi expressz. She later became familiar to a larger audience through the television series Aranyélet and appeared in films including Brazilok and Örök tél, along with several international productions.

Farkas achieved those accomplishments without completing a university acting program, but decided to apply after SZFE announced its new minority specialization. She says she specifically contacted the university beforehand to ask whether being 41 years old and already having substantial professional experience would create a problem. Despite that inquiry, her age was repeatedly raised during the examination, and committee members allegedly described her application as an impulsive and poorly considered decision.

Her Professional Performance Was Praised, but She Was Still Rejected

According to the actress, the committee’s comments were not limited to her age. Members also questioned her performance of a Roma folk song, and she was ultimately rejected even though her professional work was reportedly described as significantly exceeding expectations. Farkas also claimed that committee members made degrading remarks toward other applicants. She said one young woman was described with the comment: “This whore will make a good wife too.”

SZFE introduced the cultural minority specialization in 2026 under the leadership of Milán Rusz and András Pataki. Rusz previously served as a ministerial commissioner under Balázs Hankó, while Pataki had worked as a deputy state secretary within Hungary’s cultural ministry. In her video, Farkas also criticized the broader operation of the transformed university, saying it quickly became clear that the institution was no longer the SZFE the public had once known.

The actress was ultimately denied admission. She said she decided to discuss the experience publicly not simply because of her own treatment, but because she wanted to draw attention to fundamental problems in the admissions system and the way applicants were treated.

SZFE leadership announced approximately one week after the video’s publication that it had opened an investigation. The university said it had received no formal complaint, but the seriousness of the allegations prompted management to request detailed written explanations from the instructors named in the video. The institution also began collecting and reviewing the relevant documentation.

SZFE said it will determine whether further action is necessary after establishing the facts. The outcome of the investigation is not yet known, meaning the currently available information consists of Farkas Franciska’s public account and the university’s statement confirming that an inquiry has begun.

Source: 444