My Notes on Mars

In Lili Horvát’s new film, Margot, a young American space researcher struggling with marital problems, inexplicably disappears while hiking in the Alps with her husband, Sam. A few weeks later, she shows up at a memorial service organized in her honor. She remembers nothing of her former life, except for her notes on Mars research, which she desperately wants to destroy. Margot is not the same as she was before, yet Sam sees his wife’s return as a second chance for their love.

Lili Horvát’s previous film, Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time which has won numerous awards worldwide, debuted in Venice and went on to be Hungary’s official Oscar submission in 2021. Her first English-language film, My Notes on Mars. also premiered at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, this time as the opening film of the Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days) competition program.

Venice International Film Festival 2026 - Giornate degli Autori section
BFI London Film Festival 2026

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Lili Horvát is a screenwriter and director. She began her film studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris and later studied film and television directing at the University of Theater and Film Arts in Budapest in Ildikó Enyedi’s class. Her first feature film, The Wednesday Child, premiered at the 50th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it won the East of the West Award. Shortly thereafter, she co-founded the production company Poste Restante with producer Dóra Csernátony. The premiere of Horvát’s second feature film, Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time, took place at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in the Giornate degli Autori competition section, which showcases original, auteur-driven films. It won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Warsaw International Film Festival. My Notes on Mars is her first English-language film and served as the opening film of the Giornate degli Autori competition section at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. It was received with deep appreciation and enthusiasm by international audiences and critics alike.

Lili Horvát’s films are characterized by sensitive storytelling, a balancing act between reality and imagination, and the acceptance of the inexplicable.

The Wednesday Child (2015)

Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time (2020)

Director: Horvát Lili
Cast: Mackenzie Davis, Rupert Friend, Babinchak Atanáz, Thuróczy Szabolcs
Cinematographer: Maly Róbert
Screenwriter: Horvát Lili
Producers: Csernátony Dóra, Horvát Lili, Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu, Bady Minck, Jovan Marjanović, Mirsad Purivatra, Naima Abed, Emilie Georges, Anne Carey, Evan Moore
Editor: Szalai Károly
Music: Keresztes Gábor
Hungarian Distributor: Mozinet
Colour
111 minutes

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