Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Unveils Official Selection and Juries for Its 58th Edition

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), one of Central and Eastern Europe’s most prestigious cinematic events, has announced the eagerly anticipated lineup for its 58th edition. The festival, directed by Karel Och, will take place from June 28 to July 6, 2024, in the Czech Republic. It will feature a diverse range of films and a distinguished panel of juries. This year’s official selection includes entries for the Crystal Globe and Proxima competitions, alongside a series of special screenings.

Crystal Globe Competition

The centrepiece of KVIFF, the Crystal Globe Competition, showcases a blend of seasoned directors and promising newcomers. This year’s selection is a testament to the festival’s commitment to presenting a wide array of genres and themes.

• Ai ni ranbou / Rude to Love – Yukihiro Morigaki (Japan, World Premiere)
• Banzo – Margarida Cardoso (Portugal/France/Netherlands, International Premiere)
• Cì xīn qiè gŭ / Pierce – Nelicia Low (Singapore/Taiwan/Poland, World Premiere)
• Drie dagen vis / Three Days of Fish – Peter Hoogendoorn (Netherlands/Belgium, World Premiere)
• Elskling / Loveable – Lilja Ingolfsdottir (Norway, World Premiere)
• Ema a smrtihlav / The Hungarian Dressmaker – Iveta Grófová (Slovakia/Czech Republic, World Premiere)
• Mord / Our Lovely Pig Slaughter – Adam Martinec (Czech Republic/Slovakia, World Premiere)
• Panoptikoni / Panopticon – George Sikharulidze (Georgia/France/Italy/Romania, World Premiere)
• Proslava / Celebration – Bruno Anković (Croatia/Qatar, World Premiere)
• A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things – Mark Cousins (UK, World Premiere)
• Světýlka / Tiny Lights – Beata Parkanová (Czech Republic/Slovakia, World Premiere)
• Xoftex – Noaz Deshe (Germany/France, World Premiere)

Proxima Competition

The Proxima Competition continues KVIFF‘s tradition of spotlighting innovative and bold cinematic voices. This year’s entries promise to deliver thought-provoking narratives and unique artistic visions.

• Bezvetrije / Windless – Pavel G. Vesnakov (Bulgaria/Italy, World Premiere)
• Cabo Negro – Abdellah Taïa (France/Morocco, World Premiere)
• Clorofilla / Chlorophyll – Ivana Gloria (Italy, International Premiere)
• Fără suflet / The Alienated – Anja Kreis (Germany/Moldova/France, World Premiere)
• Hiçbir şey yerinde değil / Nothing in Its Place – Burak Çevik (Turkey/Germany/South Korea, International Premiere)
• Ju wai ren / Stranger – Zhengfan Yang (USA/China/Netherlands/Norway/France, World Premiere)
• Lapilli – Paula Ďurinová (Slovakia/Germany, World Premiere)
• Od marca do mája / March to May – Martin Pavol Repka (Czech Republic, World Premiere)
• Second Chance – Subhadra Mahajan (India, World Premiere)
• Trans Memoria – Victoria Verseau (Sweden/France, World Premiere)
• Tropicana – Omer Tobi (Israel/Canada, World Premiere)
• Vino la noche / Night Has Come – Paolo Tizón (Peru/Spain/Mexico, World Premiere)

Special Screenings

In addition to the competitive sections, KVIFF will feature a series of special screenings, offering a rich selection of films that delve into diverse topics and styles.

• Architektura ČSSR 58–89 / Czechoslovak Architecture 58–89 – Jan Zajíček (Czech Republic/Slovakia, World Premiere)
• In the Land of Brothers – Alireza Ghasemi, Raha Amirfazli (Iran/France/Netherlands, European Premiere)
• Ještě nejsem, kým chci být / I’m Not Everything I Want to Be – Klára Tasovská (Czech Republic/Slovakia/Austria)
• Das Lied der Anderen – Eine Suche nach Europa / The Song of Others – A Search for Europe – Vadim Jendreyko (Switzerland, International Premiere)
• Real – Oleh Sentsov (Ukraine/Croatia, World Premiere)
• Ta druhá / The Other One – Marie-Magdalena Kochová (Czech Republic, World Premiere)
• Tatabojs.doc – Marek Najbrt (Czech Republic, World Premiere)
• Vlny / Waves – Jiří Mádl (Czech Republic, World Premiere)
• Voyage au bord de la guerre / Journey to the Brink of War – Antonin Peretjatko (France, International Premiere)
• Zahradníkův rok / The Gardener’s Year – Jiří Havelka (Czech Republic, World Premiere)

KVIFF Juries

This year’s juries for the Crystal Globe and Proxima competitions are composed of renowned professionals from the film industry, bringing their expertise and discerning eyes to the festival.

Crystal Globe Jury

• Christine Vachon – Acclaimed American producer, co-founder of Killer Films.
• Geoffrey Rush – Academy Award-winning actor.
• Sjón – Icelandic author and screenwriter.
• Eliška Křenková – Czech actress.
• Gábor Reisz – Hungarian director and screenwriter.

Proxima Jury

• Bianca Balbuena – Filipino producer and general manager of Anima Studios.
• Wouter Jansen – Founder of the sales company Square Eyes.
• Adéla Komrzý – Czech film director.
• Mohamed Kordofani – Sudanese filmmaker.
• Daniela Michel – Founding director of the Morelia International Film Festival.

The 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival promises an exciting lineup, with a mix of innovative debuts and works from established filmmakers. The festival continues to be a significant platform for cinematic excellence, offering audiences a rich and diverse viewing experience. Don’t miss this extraordinary celebration of film from June 28 to July 6, 2024.

For more information and the latest updates, visit the KVIFF‘s official website.