Mel Gibson's controversial film The Passion of Christ will get a Hungarian release one month after its US debut courtesy of the country's premiere art house distributor, Budapest Film which yesterday announced most of its 2004 distribution slate.

The company hopes the contentious film will outperform its most successful foreign film of this year Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her which attracted 47,000 admissions.

Budapest's 2004 slate also includes recent MIFED signings Emir Kusturica's When Life Was a Miracle and Yann Samuell's Jeux D'Enfants. Following the success of his previous work, Gerry, Budapest Film will also distribute Gus van Sant's Palme D'Or winner, Elephant, as well as Christoffer Boe's Reconstruction, Sue Brooks' Japanese Story and David MacKenzie's Young Adam.

Budapest Film released a total of 49 films in 2003, fifteen of those being local productions, another nineteen European, nine American and seven from other countries, including three multi-national co-productions.

As of Dec 14 the company's biggest box office hit was recently released Hungarian subway thriller, Kontroll, with opera film Bank ban a close second.