Festival Grand Prize awarded to Exodus Documentary
The 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) took place near the Bavarian border, in the West Bohemian spa town, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe. This year, the festival did not alternate with its Moscow counterpart and marked the first edition since the death of long-time festival president Jiří Bartošek in May.
The festival kicked off with a restored version of the classic film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," co-produced by Hollywood star Michael Douglas. He also made an appearance at the event, presenting the film he helped bring to life. In recognition of his contributions to cinema, Michael Douglas received a Crystal Globe, a replacement for an award he received in 1998, which was in the form of a typical Karlovy Vary wafer.
The main prize of the festival, the Crystal Globe, was awarded to Slovak director Miro Remo for his documentary film "Prefer Madness in the Wild." The film explores the lives of two twin brothers living off the grid on a farm in the Czech Bohemian Forest near the Bavarian border.
Besides the main competition winners, the festival honoured several figures for their contributions to world cinema. American actor Peter Sarsgaard, known for his role in “Shattered Glass” (2003), received a Festival President’s Award. Luxembourg actress Vicky Krieps, recognized for “Corsage” (2022), and American actress Dakota Johnson, who presented her films “Splitsville” and “Materialists” at the festival, also received President’s Awards.
The festival closed with an honor for Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, known for his roles in films such as "Good Will Hunting" and "Dune." He presented his new film “Sentimental Value,” winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes this year. Stellan Skarsgård received the Crystal Globe for outstanding contributions to world cinema.
In addition to the main competition, the festival highlighted new talent through the Eastern Promises Industry Platform Awards and the eleventh edition of the Future Frames program. The Eurimages Co-production Development Award (€20,000) went to Romanian debut director Ștefan Bîtu-Tudoran for his absurdist heist satire "Battalion Records." The Ukrainian project "Vacuum" by Yelizaveta Smith received a Special Eurimages Award (€20,000). It is a meditation on grief and identity set in post-invasion Odesa.
The 59th KVIFF also featured special guests, including Hollywood actor Michael Douglas celebrating Czech cinematic heritage. The festival continues to be one of the oldest in the world, having been founded in 1946.
[1] https://www.karlovyfilmfest.cz/en/news/eastern-promises-industry-platform-awards-2022 [2] https://www.karlovyfilmfest.cz/en/news/guests-and-special-events-2022 [3] https://www.karlovyfilmfest.cz/en/news/future-frames-2022-scholarships-awarded
Movies-and-TV entertainment became a highlight at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, with a restored version of the classic film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" co-produced by Hollywood star Michael Douglas kicking off the event. Furthermore, the festival also featured special guests, including Michael Douglas.
