It is the yearning for artistic and academic freedom that caused the students of the Budapest University of Theatre and Film Arts (SZFE) to launch their protest in September 2020. A protest against the sudden deprivation of their university's autonomy by the right-wing nationalist Hungarian government under Viktor Orbán. Since then, the actions of the Hungarian students have been attracting worldwide attention: Why is the restructuring of a small Budapest university suddenly so significant that theater makers, intellectuals, and private individuals from Berlin to New York are showing solidarity with the students?

Here is the link to the panel discussion at the 9th FILM OHNE GRENZEN Festival – featuring Hungarian student Panni Szurdi, co-founder of the freeSZFE association, and Oliver Reese, Artistic Director of the Berliner Ensemble. Moderated by Jörg Taszman.