The 1973 animated feature Johnny Corncob established a milestone in Hungarian cinema as the country's first entry in the medium. Directed by Marcell Jankovics, the project utilized Sándor Petőfi's 1845 narrative poem as its foundation. This production signaled the beginning of a prolific career for the Budapest-born animator, screenwriter, and visual artist, whose creative output spanned over four decades.
Early Development and Career
Born in Budapest on 21 October 1941, Jankovics attended the Benedictine High School of Pannonhalma starting in 1955. By 1960, he began his professional trajectory at the Pannonia Film Studio. This environment served as the launchpad for his contributions to both short-form and feature-length animation throughout his life.
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Jankovics earned international recognition for shorts such as the 1974 film Sisyphus, which secured an Oscar nomination, and the 1977 work The Struggle, winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His 1981 feature Son of the White Mare gained status as one of the significant works of the decade, later appearing at number 49 on the 1984 Olympiad of Animation. Between 1988 and 2011, he focused on the production of The Tragedy of Man. Other notable works include the series Hungarian Folk Tales, produced between 1988 and 1996, and the 2002 film Song of the Miraculous Hind.
Awards and Institutional Roles
Throughout his career, Jankovics received numerous honors including the Béla Balázs Award in 1974 and the Kossuth Prize in 1978. He held the position of chairperson from 2010 to 2011 and maintained membership in the Hungarian Art Academy. Further decorations included the Commander Cross and the Commander with Star of the Order of Merit of Hungary. In 1999, he received the Winsor McCay Award, and in 2009, the Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts. Following his death in Budapest on 29 May 2021, he was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival.
Fast facts
- Born: 21 October 1941, Budapest
- Died: 29 May 2021, Budapest
- First Animated Feature: Johnny Corncob (1973)
- Oscar Nomination: Sisyphus (1974)
- Kossuth Prize: 1978
- Winsor McCay Award: 1999
- Education: Benedictine High School of Pannonhalma
- Career Start: Pannonia Film Studio (1960)
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of Johnny Corncob?
Released in 1973, it was the first animated feature film produced in Hungary.
Did Jankovics receive international recognition for his short films?
Yes, he received an Oscar nomination for Sisyphus in 1974 and a Palme d'Or for The Struggle in 1977.
Achievements
- Commander with Star of the Order of Merit of Hungary
- Commander Cross of the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic
- Worked as film director, screenwriter and animator