The Second World War, further reducing imports, caused a further increase in production; In the midst of many negligible works, two of great value and originality emerged: Zavaros éjszaka (1940, A restless night) by Frigyes Bán and Emberek a havason (1942; Men of the mountains) by István Szőts are the first Hungarian films awarded abroad (at the Venice Film Festival).
After the end of the conflict, production dropped to minimum levels. In 1945, however, a large public film school was created, the Filmművészeti Főiskola Színházművészeti (SBB, Academy of Theater and Film Art), initially directed by Balázs, who had returned to his homeland; they would later study almost all future Hungarian filmmakers there.
According to topmbadirectory, there were few important works in the difficult post-war period, above all it should be remembered: Valahol Európában (1947) happened in Europe, by Géza Radványi, a film clearly influenced by Neorealism. In 1948, with the establishment of the People’s Republic of Hungary under Soviet hegemony, the film industry was nationalized like all economic sectors of the country. The now ruling Hungarian Workers’ Party created a Hungarian State Film Production Body, Magyar Filmgyárto Vállalat, known as Mafilm. Censorship was re-established and many films suffered the consequences; some were cut like Talpalatnyi föld (1948; A palm of earth) by Bán or Egy asszony elindul (1949, A woman walks away) by Imre Jenei; others prohibited, such as Ének a búzamezőkről (1947, Song on the Wheat Fields) by Szőts or úttörők (Pioneers, shot in 1949 but not completed) by newcomer Károly Makk. The major directors of the older generation therefore had to emigrate (Szőts, Radványi) or fall back on harmless comedies (Bán). But thanks to the SBB many new filmmakers were able to make their debut: in addition to Makk, the most important were Félix Máriássy (Szabóné, 1949, Mrs. Szabó), Zoltán Fábri (Vihar, 1952, Tempesta), János Herskó (A város alatt, 1953, Sotto the city), László Ranódy (Hintónjáró szerelem, 1955, Love in a carriage), György Révész (2 × 2 néha 5, 1954, 2 × 2 sometimes 5). However, all had to bow to the canons of ‘socialist realism’ (v. Radványi) or fall back on harmless comedies (Bán). But thanks to the SBB many new filmmakers were able to make their debut: in addition to Makk, the most important were Félix Máriássy (Szabóné, 1949, Mrs. Szabó), Zoltán Fábri (Vihar, 1952, Tempesta), János Herskó (A város alatt, 1953, Sotto the city), László Ranódy (Hintónjáró szerelem, 1955, Love in a carriage), György Révész (2 × 2 néha 5, 1954, 2 × 2 sometimes 5). However, all had to bow to the canons of ‘socialist realism’ (v. Radványi) or fall back on harmless comedies (Bán). But thanks to the SBB many new filmmakers were able to make their debut: in addition to Makk, the most important were Félix Máriássy (Szabóné, 1949, Mrs. Szabó), Zoltán Fábri (Vihar, 1952, Tempesta), János Herskó (A város alatt, 1953, Sotto the city), László Ranódy (Hintónjáró szerelem, 1955, Love in a carriage), György Révész (2 × 2 néha 5, 1954, 2 × 2 sometimes 5). However, all had to bow to the canons of ‘socialist realism’ (v. realism).
After the death of IV Stalin (1953), a timid liberalization began both in the Soviet Union and in the countries of his area of influence. In the Hungary, films were made at least in part critical, such as Fábri’s Körintha (1956, Carosello), Makk’s A 9-es kórterem (1955, La lania n.9), Budapesti tavasz (1955, Spring in Budapest), Szakadék (1956, Abyss) by Ranódy. But the failed revolution of 1956 led, albeit briefly, to new censures (such as the one against Külvárosi legenda, 1957, Legend of the suburbs, by Máriássy). The rapid return to a more permissive policy made possible a significant increase in production, the opening of the film club Balázs Béla Stúdió (1958), later recognized in 1961 by the state as the first independent film studio, and the division of Mafilm into four semi-autonomous studios (1962), while in his direction (previously a monopoly of officials) some filmmakers were co-opted. This created the conditions for the work (critical on a political level and innovative on a linguistic one) of those directors who in the 1960s would radically transform Hungarian cinema and place it at the forefront of Europe. In this work, veterans such as Révész (Angyalok földje, 1962, Land of the angels), Ranódy (Pacsirta, 1964, Skylark), Fábri (Húsz hóra, 1965, Twenty hours), Herskó (Szevasz, Vera, 1967, Hello, Vera) and Máriássy (Imposztorok, 1969, Impostors), joined and then replaced a large group of young people, not a few of whom had been among the founders of the Balázs: Miklós Jancsó (Szegénylegények, 1964, The desperate of Sandor; Csillagosok, katonák, 1967, Army on horseback; Csend és kiáltás, 1968, Red psalm; Szerelmem, Elektra, 1974, Elettra, my love), Szabó (Szerelmesfilm, 1970, Love film; Bizalom, 1979, Fiducia), Gaál (Magasiskola, 1970, The falcons), Bacsó (Jelenidő, 1972, Present time), Gábor (Utazás Jakabbal, 1972, Journey with James; Angi Vera, 1978), la Elek (Egyszerű történet, 1976, A simple story), la Mészáros (örökbefogadás, also known as Adoption, 1975), Sándor (Herkulesfürdői emlék, 1977, Memory of the baths of Hercules), Kovács (A ménesgazda, 1978, The enclosure). Important works also filmed veterans such as Makk (Szerelem, 1971, Love; Macskajáték, 1974, Cat game) or Ranódy (Árvácska, 1976, Pansy). There were also numerous newcomers: Zoltán Huszárik (Szindbád, 1971), Gyula Maár (Végül, 1974, Finally), Zsolt Kézdi-Kovács (Ha megyön József, 1976, When Joseph returns),
In the 1980s, Hungarian cinema reached its maximum international visibility, symbolized in 1982 by the Oscar as best foreign film to Szabó’s Mephisto (1981). The liberalization continued: in 1987 a new reform of Mafilm was enacted, at the head of which was finally placed a director (Kézdi-Kovács), while his four studios obtained almost complete autonomy; it was also left open to collaborations with foreign countries, which allowed a further increase in production. However, there was also a clear decline in the skills of criticism and linguistic innovation of many filmmakers. Exceptions were made (in addition to the leading figures, Jancsó in particular with Szörnyek évadja, 1987, Season of monsters and Szabó) Gothár (Megáll az idő, 1981, Time suspended), the Elek (Mária nap, 1983, The feast of Mary;
The cinema in the US went through the upheavals that followed the end of the regime with relative ease. In 1994, Mafilm was privatized, but state funding did not stop; the sharp drop in production of the early nineties was thus partially recovered. Therefore, among others, Szabó (édes Emma, drága Böbe, 1992, Dolce Emma, dear Bobe), Kovács (Álommenedzser, 1993, Dream Manager), la Elek (Ébredés, 1994, Awakening), Bacsó were able to continue working (Megint tanú, 1995, Witness again), la Mészáros (Napló apámnak, anyámnak, 1990, Diary for my father and my mother; Kisvilma: az utolsó napló, 2000, Little Vilma: the last diary).
