Budapest’s 15th District rolls out its biggest cultural event for the 29th time: the ANNO Interdisciplinary Arts Festival runs November 13 to December 3, 2025, with a bold, timely focus—men’s roles and how they’ve changed, framed by both classic and contemporary arts. This year also salutes major anniversaries for four giants: filmmaker Károly Makk, poet Attila József, novelist Sándor Márai, and beloved writer Jenő Rejtő. The aim is simple and charmingly civic: brighten the gray of November, bring generations together, and let art deliver shared, meaningful moments across the district.
Opening at a Brutalist Icon
November 13, 16:00 – Opening at Víztoronyház50. The Újpalota Water Tower House—Budapest’s tallest residential building—turns 50, and its striking silhouette still stands as a symbol of Hungarian Brutalism. The anniversary brings a series of events, from exhibitions to talks and a family day, created with notable architects and makers. As the festival’s kick-off, guests can visit the top-floor studio apartment—usually off-limits—inside this landmark.
Friday Night: Wind Band and Cartoons
November 14, 19:00 – Cartoon Music by the Jenő Hubay Wind Band. Generations can hum along to classic and modern animated hits performed not by a symphony, but by brass and woodwinds—think The Rabbit with Checkered Ears (Kockásfülű nyúl) to Tom and Jerry to the languid trumpet of Lazy Dick (Lusta Dick). The show leans into what makes animation magic: it says little, but the music speaks volumes—movement, emotion, humor, even profundity, from slapstick to John Halas’s searing Animal Farm (Állatfarm). Venue: Jenő Hubay Music and Primary Art School, Concert Hall (1153 Budapest, Bocskai Street 70–78). Tickets: $5.40.
Literature That Heals
November 18, 18:00 – Healing Literature: Sándor Márai’s Book of Herbs (Füveskönyv). A conversation with Márai scholar Tibor Mészáros and naturopath Péter Varsányi, moderated by journalist Andrea Oláh. The series hunts for lifelines, tools, and mental vitamins in classic and contemporary texts—can novels and essays really help us through a crisis? Venue: Csokonai Event House (1153 Budapest, Eötvös Street 64–66). Free with registration due to limited seating.
Nick Hornby’s Sacred Provocation
November 19, 18:00 – Nick Hornby: Breast Christ (CiciKrisztus) stage performance and talk. The award-garlanded Hungarian monodrama follows a gallery guard and his confessional, thorny relationship with a controversial artwork. After the show, pastor András Pelikán joins a discussion on modern art, faith, and the 21st-century burdens on spiritual leaders. Performed by Béla Ficzere. Venue: House of Cultural Heritage and Local History Collection, District XV (1158 Budapest, Pestújhelyi Road 81). Tickets: $9.40.
Remembering Károly Makk
November 20, 18:00 – Makk100. A tribute to film director Károly Makk in partnership with the 15-year-old Origó Film Studio. Venue: Csokonai Event House. Free with registration.
Decoding Teenagers, Live
November 21, 18:00 – Teenage Age: A Talk with “Teacher Jocó.” How do you actually communicate with teens? History teacher, author, trainer, and influencer József Balatoni—aka “Uncle Jocó” (Jocó bácsi)—dives into the rollercoaster: emotional tsunamis one day, apathy the next, friendships that flip in minutes, trend cycles that die in two weeks, big dreams without steps. Who do they listen to? What do they value? How did COVID warp their school years and first kisses? Co-speaker: Moni Lisa Tibenszky, sports mental trainer, coach, teen trainer, education journalist, and founder of the Responsible Parents’ School. Venue: Kikötő Youth Center (1156 Budapest, Száraznád Street 5). Free with registration.
A Stylish Budapest Night
November 21, 19:00 – A Dapper Budapest Night (Egy fess pesti este): Iván Kamarás in concert. A warm, witty dive into the pulsating Hungarian hits of the 1920s–60s and the golden age of Hungarian cinema. Kamarás sings, plays guitar, and dishes backstage lore you won’t find in biographies—tales from dressing rooms and artists’ buffets. With Tamás Kéméndi on piano and accordion. Venue: Csokonai Event House. Tickets: $10.80.
Dads, Sons, Grandpas: Make, Build, Play
November 22, 10:00–14:00 – Fathers, Sons, and Grandfathers: Wooden trains, carving, wooden spoons—family fun with musical twists. Come as a team across generations. Venue: Pestújhely Community House (1155 Budapest, Szűcs István Street 45). Registration required. Fees vary $1.35–$13.50 depending on program.
Programs:
– Main Hall: communal play for all—giant wooden train set and block city; Tools from the Suitcase with Csaba Ginovszky: what were old tools for? Entry: $1.35 per person (included for those in other workshops).
– Workshops (registration, limited spots):
— Bélaműhely Sound Art / Instrument-Making Workshop: everything makes a sound. Entry: $6.75 per child, $1.35 per adult.
— Woodcarving with Lajos Mikes: saw, drill, and carve your own wooden items. Entry: $13.50 per child, $2.70 per adult.
— Little Chefs in the Kitchen with Marcell Márton: simple, tasty bites for father and son to make together. Entry: $4.05 per child, $1.35 per adult.
Attila József on the Couch
November 23, 19:00 – Hopelessly (Reménytelenül), feature film. Written and directed by Gábor Rózsa. Young psychoanalyst Edit Gyömrői (Juli Michl) takes on a formidable patient: poet Attila József (András Sütő), mired in persistent gloom and brutal stomach pains. She’s determined to prove she can treat him, but doesn’t count on his deepening romantic feelings. A biographical romantic drama recommended for ages 16+. Venue: Csokonai Event House. Free with registration.
Practical Info and Theme
Across three packed weeks, the ANNO Interdisciplinary Arts Festival probes masculinity with curiosity rather than dogma: fathers and sons building and cooking together, teens and the grown-ups trying to reach them, art rubbing up against faith, music elevating cartoons, and cinema honoring a master. The 15th District hosts most events at Csokonai Event House, the Jenő Hubay Music School, the House of Cultural Heritage, Kikötő Youth Center, and Pestújhely Community House. Free programs generally require prior registration due to limited seats, while paid events keep prices accessible—family-friendly by design, neighborly in spirit.
In short: Budapest’s northeastern quarter turns November into a live wire. From brutalist panoramas to whispered legends of old film stars, from wooden trains to soul surgery, ANNO 2025 asks who men are, who they’ve been, and who they might become—inviting everyone, of every age, to join the conversation.
