NATPE Budapest, the leading business forum for producers, buyers and distributors of content from Central and Eastern Europe, kicks off its 2025 edition today, which will run until 26 June at the InterContinental Hotel in the Hungarian capital. This year, the event adds a new and emblematic space at the Dorothea Hotel, where screenings, keynotes and exclusive meetings will take place, reinforcing Budapest as a hub for international content.

Since 1993, NATPE Budapest has been the connecting point between the global community and the CEE audiovisual ecosystem. The 2025 edition brings together more than 65 exhibitors and 300 confirmed buyers, with an agenda that combines innovation, networking and strategy.

One of the highlights will be the NATPE Honors Europe gala, which honors key industry figures for their transformative vision. This year's honorees are Daniel Grunt (Nova Group), Yana Honcharenko (Starlight Media), George Levendis (ANT1 TV, Mak TV & Antenna Studios), Levente Málnay (AMC Networks International), and Magdalena Szwedkowicz (MAG Entertainment).

The keynote address will be given by Andreas Briese, YouTube's general manager for the DACH region, who will present strategies for boosting audiences, monetization and positioning in the CEE region.

Featured panels include “Vision from the Top: Where do we go from here?”, moderated by Georg Szalai (The Hollywood Reporter), with George Levendis, Stella Litou, Levente Málnay and Magdalena Szwedkowicz, addressing the challenges of the regional audiovisual ecosystem.

Pitch & Play LIVE, celebrating its 9th edition, will reward original formats with the greatest international potential. Organized by CEETV, it is a key platform for emerging talent in CEE.

The event includes exclusive spaces such as executive lunches, breakfast with decision makers and “Meet a Decision Maker” sessions, which facilitate strategic links between creators, buyers and distributors.

In addition, screenings from A+E Global Media, Lionsgate, Paramount Global Content Distribution and Sony Pictures Television will be presented, adding exclusive content at the Dorothea Hotel for an immersive experience.

Globo, one of the largest media groups in Latin America, reinforces its presence with hits such as "Avenida Brasil", "Totalmente diva" and the new release "Raul Seixas: Let Me Sing", the first Brazilian series selected for Series Mania. The Kitchen Hungary, with Gabor Somogyi and Lajos Petro, will share advances in translation and localization with artificial intelligence. ‘AI is redefining our scale of services,’ said Deeny Kaplan, Executive VP.

Among the leaders present are Gabor Balogh, Ralf Bartoleit (bTV), Agata Borowiecka (Polsat), Alina Florea, Irina Panfilova (Sony), Iwona Pilgrim (Paramount), Balázs Szabó (RTL) and Andrea Zaras (TV2Media).

There will also be off the record sessions from media such as Realscreen, who will be talking to executives such as László Gáspár (AMC Networks Central Europe) about future programming.

As every year, the meeting closes with the classic Boat Party on the Danube, which mixes networking, relaxation and unbeatable views.

Francisco Ferreyra from Budapest

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