The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the biggest cinema event in the Czech Republic and the premium A-list festival for all of Eastern Europe, is set to kick off its 57th edition on Friday. This time last year, the festival organizers were faced with the challenge of supporting Ukrainian filmmakers after the Russian invasion of Ukraine disrupted the region. In a show of solidarity, festivals near Ukraine joined forces to showcase the work of Ukrainian directors. Karlovy Vary, known for its beautiful location and celebrity guests, hosted the Odessa International Film Festival’s works-in-progress selection, offering a platform for Ukrainian films in the final stages of production to find financing or sales assistance.
A year later, while fighting continues in Ukraine, the country’s film industry has managed to stand on its own. The Odessa film festival revealed its works-in-progress lineup in Berlin, confirming its return this summer. Moreover, film bodies from European countries and the association of European film agency directors announced a new solidarity fund that will provide development and completion funds for Ukrainian features. The executive director of Karlovy Vary, Krystof Mucha, noted that many filmmakers from the works-in-progress program were successful in finding partners and co-producers. However, the Ukrainian film community now wants to present their work in Ukraine and do things on their own.
The 57th edition of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival promises plenty of star power. Alicia Vikander, Russell Crowe, Ewan McGregor, Robin Wright, and indie producer Christine Vachon are among the notable guests who will be honored during the festival. Patricia Clarkson is also scheduled to attend as a juror. The festival will begin with a free concert by British electronic music band Morcheeba, followed by the opening film Firebrand, starring Alicia Vikander as Queen Catherine Parr. The screening will be followed by a performance by Russell Crowe’s blues-rock band Indoor Garden Party and fireworks.
While Ukraine is not the focus of this year’s festival, it will have a presence with the special screening of Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story, a documentary about the American Romini punk band co-founded by Ukrainian-born frontman Eugene Hütz. The festival will also showcase Roman Liubyi’s documentary Iron Butterflies, which investigates the 2014 downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine.
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The festival’s Crystal Globe competition features 11 movies, including nine world premieres. Some highlights include Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms, a Canadian darknet thriller, Ernst De Geer’s Scandinavian satire The Hypnosis, and Matěj Chlupáček’s 1930s period drama We Have Never Been Modern. The festival will also feature a section titled “Another Birth. Iranian Cinema Here and Now,” highlighting nine recent independent Iranian features that showcase the creativity and inventiveness of Iranian filmmakers in the face of challenging realities.
In its Horizons sidebar, Karlovy Vary will offer a selection of festival favorites from this year, including works from Cannes, Berlin, and Sundance. The festival’s special screenings lineup includes documentaries and dramas that tackle political and social issues. The second year of the festival’s Proxima competition section will showcase films from around the world, providing a platform for new discoveries and fresh film fare.
The artistic director of Karlovy Vary, Karel Och, considers the introduction of Proxima as one of the most important milestones for the festival in the last decade. The change has allowed the festival to open up to the world and receive a greater number of premieres. This year, the festival received around 2,000 submissions, 400 more than last year, indicating a post-COVID return to more normalized filmmaking. The festival continues to mix new discoveries with highlights from other festivals, ensuring a diverse and exciting lineup.
As the festival returns to its regular programming for the 2023 edition, the organizers are excited to celebrate with the audience and the industry professionals who attend Karlovy Vary. With a lineup filled with star-studded films and a focus on international cinema, the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival promises to be a fantastic year for both filmmakers and film enthusiasts alike.
