Unprecedented Hungarian children’s literature successes

Hungarian illustrator Kinga Rofusz won a prestigious award at the world’s most important children’s book event, the Bologna Book Fair. The industry leading event has been held for sixty years. Its important goal is to take children’s illustration and children’s literature to a new level each year, to create a discussion, and to provide space for the exchange of experience between professionals. The BolognaRagazzi Crossmedia Award has been handed out since 2021 to acknowledge publishing projects which "expand their narrative universe to other media". For this year’s tender, 90 projects arrived from 30 countries out of which the judges chose the 10 best. Of the 10 chosen applicants, Kinga Rofusz’s work titled Otthon won the first prize.

The silent book Otthon by Kinga Rofusz was published by Vivandra in 2018. The book was later adapted into an eight-minute animated short film with the contribution of K.G.B. Studio and producer Béla Klingl. The work was inspired by a personal story: the book tells a delicate tale of separation from the old home and finding a new one strictly through images. Both the book and the short film present the process of moving from a little boy’s point of view.

In their justification, the judges mention that the creator presents a universal story though the little boy. She portrays the childish reaction to a great change such as moving beautifully without using words. She tells us about the nature of relationships and the most varied feelings towards home through a graceful, flowing, poetic imagery. In their evaluation, the judges specially emphasized the pictoral composition and the lavish background music of the short film which perfectly describe the story.

The short film can be watched here.

"After a few illustrative works and many many talks together, I asked Kinga to create a silent book about whatever topic she chooses and when it is the right time for her. Then one day she set up the painted pictures in a room and I was amazed. Then in 2018 Otthon was published. A story in which somehow everyone is a character in their own lives. Shortly after the book came out, the K.G.B. Studio, a group of long time friends decided to make a short animated film which became very successful here and also abroad," said the owner of Vivandra publishing house Alexandra Ágoston.

"It’s hard to describe what the award means at this moment because it’s so surprising that we’re still in awe. The book and the film are a true love child in all respects. And I don’t say this just now after receiving the award. We’ve talked about this a lot earlier. It was a gift that I got the opportunity to work on a silent book freely without any restrictions. I didn’t even have a deadline, I was just told that we could do it until it cannot get any better. And then it was just as liberating and joyful to work on the film with K.G.B. Studio. Both the book and the film provided lots of joy afterwards. They are also very important to be because both the book and the film had the chance to be monitored by Zsolt Richly," said the author of the silent book Kinga Rofusz about the creative process.

"This award meant a lot for our studio as well because even the creation of a short animated movie takes several months and this is when we feel like it was worth it. Many times over, too. The style and technique of the film are different from the works we usually do but the raw material, namely the quality of the book, and the work of the director Kinga Rofusz made the filmmaking easy and problem free. I would like to point out the work of our leading animator Zsanett Szántó who spent many many months with bringing the drawings to life. The film was created with the support of the Media Council’s patronage program," evaluated the producer of K.G.B. Studio Béla Klingl the award.

A similarly great acknowledgement was given to illustrator Julianna Litkei who, out of the 4345 competitors of the Illustrators Exhibition at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, got into the best 315. Of the 315, the international jury chose 79 illustrations of further 80 artists from 28 countries with the works of Julianna Litkei among them. The main characters of Julianna Litkei’s Something’s Growing On… project are a sprouting potato and the colorful team of bugs and insects. The picture book celebrates the complexity of nature’s invisible micro world. The pictures of the winners are organized into an exhibition on the premises of the book fair.

The Petőfi Literary Fund is going to be present this year as well at the Bologna Book Fair with a separate booth. The Hungarian booth’s visual design was created by PLF in close cooperation with Hungarian children’s book publishers. PLF pays special attention to the works of the award winning illustrators. The illustrations of Kinga and Jullianna alongside the book Otthon get especially visible places at the pavilion. The publisher introduction is a new point of Hungarian presence in Bologna. For March 7th, PLF organized an event for Hungarian children’s book publishers at which they get a chance to introduce their books, Hungarian authors and illustrators to foreign publishers, translation grant institutions and professional partners. Significant Hungarian publishers like Cerkabella, Scolar, Csimota, Centrálmédia and Pagony have already applied to the event.

Furthermore, Hungarian children’s literature is popularized by two new catalogues published by PLF. In the "Best of" series, the fund is publishing two new volumes as well. New Hungarian Childlit – 10.3 Tales edited by Gabi Both, Margit Garajszki and Artemisz Harmath suggests the past years’ best children’s books to foreign professionals, while New Hungarian Artists – 12 Illustrators edited by Emese Révész brings the best Hungarian illustrators abroad.

Part of an illustration by Kinga Rofusz

Part of an illustration by Kinga Rofusz

Part of an illustration by Kinga Rofusz

Part of an illustration by Kinga Rofusz

Prize-winning illustration by Julianna Litkei