Born in Hungary, Bálint Szimler spent part of his childhood in New York. He studied directing under Ildikó Enyedi at the University of Theatre & Film Arts in Budapest. His short film Here I Am premiered in Cannes Cinéfondation in 2010 and was nominated for Best Short Film by the European Film Academy. He created Balaton Method, an experimental music documentary, the first feature film to complete a successful crowdfunding campaign in Hungary. His debut feature Fekete Pont (Lesson Learned) won Best Performance and a Special Mention at the Locarno Film Festival in 2024. It was screened worldwide and won several film festivals.

Additionally, Bálint is co‑founder and Creative Director of the Budapest International Film Festival. With the festival he co‑created Cine‑Collegium Budapest, a foundation aimed at helping young filmmakers denied state funding.