Every autumn, Bucharest opens its cultural stages to a unique theatrical celebration: BukFeszt – the Festival of Hungarian Theatres. In 2025, the festival reaches its fourth edition, once again offering audiences the opportunity to discover outstanding Hungarian-language productions performed by theatres from across Romania. All performances are subtitled in Romanian and English, making them accessible to local, international, and tourist audiences who are curious to explore this vibrant artistic tradition.
What is BukFeszt?
BukFeszt was created as an initiative of MASZÍN, the Association of Hungarian Theatres in Romania, with the support of important cultural institutions, including UNITER. The goal of the festival is to showcase the diversity and quality of Hungarian-language theatre while also encouraging intercultural dialogue. It provides a stage in Bucharest for productions coming from regions like Transylvania, Banat, Satu Mare, Miercurea Ciuc, and Odorheiu Secuiesc, allowing spectators to connect with a cultural identity that is at once Romanian and Hungarian.
The 2025 edition takes place between September 29 and October 7, with performances hosted at some of the most beloved venues in Bucharest, including the Bulandra Theatre – Liviu Ciulei Hall, the Metropolis Theatre, and the alternative cultural space Recul.
The festival opens with “Lysistrata, My Love” by Matei Vișniec, directed by Anca Bradu and performed by the Szigligeti Theatre of Oradea, setting the tone for a program that blends classical adaptations with bold contemporary creations.
This year’s lineup brings together renowned Hungarian-language companies such as the Szigligeti Theatre from Oradea, the Harag György Troupe of Teatrul de Nord from Satu Mare, the Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theatre from Timișoara, as well as theatres from Odorheiu Secuiesc, Miercurea Ciuc, and Târgu Secuiesc. The repertoire is diverse, ranging from adaptations of world classics such as The Trial or The Master and Margarita to modern works like 1978 or The Father.
One of the defining features of BukFeszt is the dialogue it fosters between stage and audience. After many of the performances, discussions are organized with critics, directors, and actors, giving the public a chance to engage more deeply with the themes, the artistic vision, and the cultural contexts of the plays. For international visitors, these talks offer a unique window into the complexity of Romanian multiculturalism and how theatre reflects and challenges it.
For tourists, BukFeszt offers more than just a night at the theatre. It is an opportunity to immerse yourself in a cultural experience that you might not easily encounter elsewhere. Watching a Hungarian-language performance in Bucharest, with English surtitles guiding you, is both unusual and enriching. It allows you to discover voices from regional theatres that are less known internationally, but which carry a powerful artistic and social message.
As the festival grows in reputation, it has become a fixture of Bucharest’s autumn cultural season.
BukFeszt 2025 promises an inspiring encounter with stories, performances, and identities that bridge languages and traditions.
