Judit Elek

November 10, 1937 — Budapest, Hungary

Judit Elek (born 10 November 1937; Budapest) is a Hungarian film director and screenwriter. She has directed 16 films between 1962 and 2006. Her film Mária-nap was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival.

She graduated in 1961 from the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest (now the University of Theatre and Film Arts Budapest), and joined Mafilm as an assistant director. She is one of the founders of the Béla Balász Studio for young filmmakers. Between 1962 and 2011, she made multiple short films, documentaries and features. The renowned film Mária-nap (1984) screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival. She was also one of the participants in the IFFR jubilee project 25 Encounters. Elek’s films are the subject of a focus programme at IFFR 2023, featuring titles such as Találkozás (1963), Kastélyok lakói (1966) and Istenmezején, 1972-73-ban (1974).

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Nobody's Daughter

1976

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The Lady from Constantinople

1969

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Memories of a River

1990

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The Eighth Day of the Week

2006

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Encounter

1963

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Maria's Day

1984

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Maybe Tomorrow

1980

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The Trial of Martinovics and the Hungarian Jacobins

1980