The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has announced the official list of selected films and jury members for its 60th anniversary festival, which will run from July 3 to 11.
The Crystal Globe festival competition program included 12 films. Among them: «Hijamat, The latest feature film by Iranian director Nader Saivar. Saivar is best known for his long-standing collaboration with Jafar Panahi. Together, they wrote the screenplays for two films, including last year's Palme d'Or winner »" - "It was just an accident"« .
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Karlovy Vary announced the award winners: Miro Remo's film "Better to Go Crazy in the Wild" received the Crystal Globe.
Below is the The full list of competition entries for this year's Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The New Yorker film critic Justin Chang will serve on this year's Crystal Globe jury, along with director Amanda Nell Eu, Czech sound designer, producer, and composer Pavel Reyholec, producer Nadja Turinchev, and director Eskil Vogt.
Karel Oh, artistic director of Karlovy Vary, said that one of the central themes of the works presented this year was «the directors» impressive desire to understand the diversity and complexity of the world through direct confrontation with reality and a relentless search for the relationship between the artistic and the political, the personal and the social.”.
Oh continued: "The official program for the anniversary edition offers a dialogue between seasoned veterans of world cinema and debuting directors, fifteen of whom are represented in the Crystal Globe Competition, Proxima Competition, and Special Screenings sections. This also makes Karlovy Vary a place for an ongoing dialogue between interpreting the present and preserving memory, opening up new perspectives on the future for both creators and audiences.".
CRYSTAL HEAD BALL COMPETITION«
3 nedelje posle / 3 Weeks After Director: Miroslav Terzic, Serbia, Bulgaria, 2026, 94 min, World Premiere
A group of high school students go on a school trip to Bulgaria. When their bus breaks down, they find themselves trapped in an old hotel near the mountains. The atmosphere escalates when the quiet and reserved Zoza decides to talk about his best friend's recent suicide. Why did Andrey decide to take his own life? And wouldn't it have been better if Zoza hadn't brought up the subject? As in his previous works, Serbian director Miroslav Terzic's third film is distinguished by an overwhelming, carefully constructed sense of tension. «Three weeks later» immerses us in the vulnerable world of teenagers, where innocence mingles with cruelty. It also reveals the mechanisms of bullying in a society that turns a blind eye at crucial moments when turning away is the last thing we should do.
Cherny bet on white nights Director: Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov, Bulgaria, Greece, 2025, 94 min, World Premiere
After years of saving up through small bribes, sixty-year-old Marina and her husband, Gosha, from Bulgaria, are preparing for their dream trip to St. Petersburg to see the White Nights. But when Russia invades Ukraine and the travel agency disappears along with their savings, the couple's dream collapses, along with their illusion of control over their moral principles and relationships. Kristina Grozeva and Petr Valchanov, winners of the 2019 Crystal Globe Award, return to Karlovy Vary with a tragicomic portrait of a generation forced to rethink its values, questioning everything considered black and white in post-Soviet society.
«"Chica Checa" Director: Simon Holý Czech Republic, France, Slovakia, 2026, 96 min, world premiere After a trilogy of low-budget films, two of which ( «Mirrors in the Dark» и «And then there was love… ») were shown in Karlovy Vary, Shimon Hola returns with an international co-production «"Chica Checa"» . Once again, the story revolves around the main character: a widowed postwoman from the village of Zdeny (Pavla Tomicova), who attempts to fulfill her ailing mother's final wish. A series of unexpected events brings her closer to her son Lukasz (Jan Chyna) and awakens in her a longing for a different life. Holý once again demonstrates his talent as an observer and his ability to create vivid portraits of his characters' internal conflicts, while giving Tomicova ample space to fully express her acting skills.
Cinco años, cuatro meses / Five years, four months Director: Esteban Hoyos García, Juan Miguel Helasio RamírezColombia, USA, 2025, 83 min, World Premiere
Marta not only lost her eldest son, but she still doesn't know what happened to him or what happened to his remains. After years of fruitless searching, she meets Sandra, who offers her another option, perhaps her last hope: to travel to a remote place where the line between the living and the dead is blurred. Directing duo Juan Miguel Gelasio and Esteban Hoyos García gives voice to the Colombian women who, after their children's disappearances, took the search into their own hands. The film's restrained, focused narrative draws attention to one of the most painful consequences of the country's protracted armed conflict, while simultaneously depicting the search for peace and reconciliation in a place that has never seen goodbye.
Detrás de la lluvia / After the rain Director: Valeria Sarmiento, Chile, 2026, 97 min, World Premiere
In all her films, director and editor Valeria Sarmiento asks about the relationship between memory and the unconscious. Is it better to remain silent, hiding secrets, so that nothing changes (as in in the film "Secrets"« , 2008), or strive for true access to the most painful memories (as in in the film "Blows"« , 2023)? In in the film "Behind the Rain"« Sarmiento reflects on the very concept of repression. Sofia, who has just completed her psychology studies in Valparaiso (Sarmiento's birthplace), returns to her hometown of Valdivia. Her return coincides with the discovery of a young girl's body, which awakens memories of childhood sexual abuse. Like a scratched film, like rain, Sofia must decide whether to stop the memories from surfacing or to look beyond the rain, beyond the buried fears of an entire country.
Hesten / Invited Director: Mads Mengel, Denmark, 2026, 99 min, World Premiere
Young parents Karl and Emilie are eagerly awaiting a weekend at a seaside hotel, where they plan to announce their baby's name and officially welcome him into the world. However, the day before the celebration, Karl's mother, Vibeke, whom he hasn't spoken to in years, shows up. Drawing on the traditions of contemporary Scandinavian cinema, debut director Mads Mengel tells the intimate story of a family threatened by disintegration when old wounds resurface. What begins as a close-knit celebration devolves into an awkward confrontation with an unresolved past that keeps the film's characters from forgetting who they really are—and where they come from.
Happy family. Director: Jan-Erik Mack. Switzerland, 2026, 120 min. World premiere.
Niki works two jobs, but the little money she earns barely covers her needs and that of her two young children. One day, left unsupervised, the children accidentally set the kitchen on fire, and Swiss authorities place them in a foster home on the other side of the country. Although Niki is forbidden contact with her children, she decides to find them. Based on a true story, the first Swiss film to be screened in competition at the Crystal Globe in Karlovy Vary draws its power from a determined yet conflicted heroine whose actions shed light on a rigid social system, reflecting the conflict between parental instinct and personal responsibility. The film's powerful dramatic arc is complemented by a compelling performance by Anna Schinz.
Hijamat Director: Nader Saivar, Germany, 2026, 103 min, World Premiere
Fifty-year-old Murad's life is turned upside down when he discovers his younger brother is gay. Murad wants to support his brother, but their traditional Muslim family is against it. As a result, he finds himself under pressure from all sides—from his father, who has close ties to the local imam, and from his brother's circle of friends. He wants to help everyone, but as he gradually becomes immersed in a maelstrom of conflict and mounting difficulties, he realizes he needs help himself. Another important part of this family drama is the theme of migration and dialogue—not only between different religions but also within communities themselves. For his fourth feature film, director Nader Saiwar collaborated with Jafar Panahi, who served as producer and editor.
There is a lion behind me. Director: Tonia Mishiali. Cyprus, Luxembourg, Greece, 2026, 106 min. World premiere.
Mariama, a refugee from Senegal, has just turned eighteen. Stella, a seemingly withdrawn woman in her forties, recently decided to break free from the grip of drug addiction and start anew. Trying to find their place in a world where nothing comes for free, the two women meet and unexpectedly become close. After their debut in 2018, with the film "Pause" »Cypriot producer and director Tonia Mishiali returns to Karlovy Vary with a vibrant, touching and hopeful story about how family ties and maternal love can be found in the most unexpected places.
Tubes Director: Karim Kassem, Lebanon, 2025, 112 min, World Premiere
Although Hassan retired from his job at the water utility, his neighbors have grown accustomed to his constant help. This time, the situation is serious: the entire city is without water, and tensions among the residents are growing daily. Hassan would like to help everyone, but he also needs time to mourn a friend who recently died under mysterious circumstances. Lebanese director Karim Kassem masterfully utilizes various cinematic genres to create an elegant dual portrait of an aging man and the city he has been a part of his entire life. He does so with a sense of nostalgia, subtle humor, and an almost meditative melancholy, mixed with elements of detective fiction.
Prameň / Only Beautiful Things to Look At Director: Ivan Ostrokhovsky, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, 2026, 90 min, World Premiere
The film is set in the mid-1980s, when the state used its laws to constantly influence the most intimate aspects of its citizens' lives. Ingrid (Anja Geislerová) is an ambitious doctor whose mission is to deliver children, terminate unwanted pregnancies, and participate in the sterilization of Roma women. The melancholic woman is more concerned with her personal life than her professional one, until she is caught off guard by a new friendship with a charismatic Roma nurse. The spontaneous Agata reveals to Ingrid the human characteristics of a national minority that the communists reduced to a demographic problem. Ostrochovsky's captivating drama returns to a previously unresolved issue in Czechoslovakian history, where the right to have children was determined by the state.
Thit-thee Khu / Fruit picking. Director: Aung Phyo. Myanmar, France, Czech Republic, 2026, 97 min. World premiere.
Through the eyes of two young women, life in contemporary Myanmar can seem quite oppressive. Working in a textile factory in industrial Yangon, they face grueling labor, social repression, and economic instability. Although the grueling pace of everyday life suppresses opportunities for human connection, both women continue to dream of intimacy and escape. As they grow closer, they awaken previously suppressed feelings. Aung Phyo's highly anticipated directorial debut unfolds in shades of silence, subtle gestures, and unspoken desires. With a gripping rhythm that oscillates between tenderness and brutality, the film explores how women's desires survive in a country where intimacy and love between women remain socially unacceptable.
The nearest competition
33 crocodile / 33 steps Director: Anna Domček, Šimon Domček, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, 2026, 71 min, World Premiere
Thirteen years after Milan Daniel suffered a serious head injury in a racially motivated attack, his attacker is set to walk free. What feelings does this moment evoke in a traumatized man who, though he survived, will forever suffer the consequences of that fateful day? Straddling the line between fiction and documentary, the debut feature by Slovak directors Šimon and Anna Domček is a uniquely coherent mosaic of fragments of everyday life, memories, dreams, and subjective perceptions. Beyond exploring the experience of someone struggling to escape the shadow of the past—a shadow that weighs heavily on future generations—the film also takes an unusual approach to the subject of racial intolerance.
Campionero / Truck driver Director: Francisco Marise, Spain, Argentina, 2026, 84 minutes, World Premiere
It would seem that every road trip film should center on the road. But Francisco Marisé's hybrid film senses that every trip, road, or journey requires us to stop from time to time. It's these moments, when the Argentine truck drivers, the film's protagonists, turn off their engines and stop moving, that form the film's starting point. Interweaving intimate observations with subtle glimpses of transcendence, «Truck Driver» paints a collective portrait of people who share a strange dimension of time in the silence of the asphalt desert – in motels, on the side of the road, and in tire shops, enjoying the pure joy of the present moment, but also longing for loved ones far away.
Contra la Naturaleza / Against nature Director: Axel Berta, Mexico, 2026, 86 min, World Premiere
After years of absence, Jonas returns to the countryside to work as a stonemason. In a place marked by the harshness of life, he discovers something intangible—a force that permeates the landscape, bodies, and time itself. The film, a powerful story of a silent man whose enigmatic nature stems from humanity's dark side and his encounter with the sacred, balances on the edge of the physical and the spiritual. With a captivating sound design, a hypnotic visual style, and a rejection of traditional narrative, Axel Bertha creates a captivating cinematic experience that explores human cruelty as part of a cycle of destruction from which humanity has yet to find a way out.
Enas olokliros anthropos schedon / Almost a Whole Person Director: Efthymis Kosemund-Sanidis Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Cyprus, Romania, 2025, 111 min, World Premiere
Ilias arrives on a remote island to claim his late father's inheritance. But the longer he is forced to remain on the island, the more his initial indifference begins to fade. As he interacts with the local community, he uncovers his father's past and, along with it, a portrait of a man vastly different from his own memories. His gradually awakening emotions are heightened by an encounter with a local girl, Kalliopi, sudden body cramps, and mysterious power outages that affect the entire island. This feature-length debut paints a moving picture of a world at once real and mystical—a place where, despite distant echoes foreshadowing the possible end of the world, we encounter love, reconciliation, and unexpected understanding.
Homo Sive Natura Director: Giovanni C. Lorusso, Italy, 2026, 115 min, World Premiere
In the remote forests of eastern Cambodia, lives a community of indigenous people. An unnamed forty-year-old businessman arrives with seemingly selfless intentions: he claims to be a tourist, eager to learn about the lives of his "brothers." In reality, however, he is gathering information for the possible expropriation of their land. Italian traveler Giovanni C. Lorusso lives up to his reputation as a filmmaker who walks the line between fiction and documentary. With unique locations, mesmerizing cinematography, and a captivating soundtrack, he captures the slow internal transformation of his protagonist, as well as the rich cultural and spiritual life of a community confronted with a modern form of colonialism.
«"A hand stained with ink and a missing thumb.". Director: Yashasvi Juyal. India, 2026, 120 min., world premiere.
If the world had an edge, it might look something like this: a remote corner of Northern India where Santosh and Raji live, collecting tolls on the highway from dilapidated toll booths. Work and endless waiting merge. Bound by the power of love, but also by the constant need to move in search of work, they dream of the happiness that awaits them in a new place... until one day, a sudden tragedy turns their lives upside down. Melancholic and tender at the same time, «"The Inky Hand and the Missing Thumb"» — is the story of anyone who has experienced unexpected loss. It is a heartfelt novel bordering on magical realism, a fleeting memory of a loved one who has vanished into the past forever.
Mein Freund der Pornostar / My friend is a porn star Director: Rosa Friedrich, Austria, 2026, 94 min, World Premiere
Rosa—director Rosa Friedrich herself—had never been particularly interested in pornography until her friend Timo expressed a desire to star in an erotic film. Rosa agreed to help him bring the project to life. However, as the filming date approached, Timo felt increasingly uneasy and doubted his decision. Ultimately, his face was replaced using artificial intelligence, and Rosa, along with a dominatrix, three transgender women, a food porn creator, a sex trainer, and other cast members, continued working on the film. It's a playful take on pornography, which can be completely alien to the impersonal, omnipresent industry—porn that evokes emotion, doubt, and the uniqueness of each individual body and experience.
Milovnik, nie bojovnik A lover, not a fighter Director: Martina Bučelová, Slovakia, 2026, 108 min, World Premiere
Andrey wants to stop causing trouble and start behaving decently. He wants to spend the summer helping his grandmother, and most importantly, not drink alcohol—because when he drinks, he does things like climb trees from which he can't come down. But his plan doesn't include meeting and falling in love (or anything like that) with Misha. And sometimes love is worth fighting for, even if your boring cousin Petr is by your side. A summer full of challenges can begin! This debut from Slovak director Martina Buchelová is a triumph of cinematic freedom, humorous and inventive in both style and narrative. Come and enjoy summer like a teenager.
Paris, Director: Isabelle Tollenare, Belgium, 2026, 78 min, world premiere.
An allegory of search, loss, displacement, and the discovery of new meanings and commonalities. Three men—Yi-En from China, Junior from Congo, and Hamza from Palestine—live in a sparse apartment in a seemingly abandoned building in Paris. Beyond this shared existence, the group is united by the shared experience of exile and the fleeting nature of their possessions, relationships, and sense of home. Director Isabelle Tollenard's debut feature film unfolds in one of Europe's greatest cities and in a replica of Paris built in China—a metaphor for the immigrants' old dream of life in a new home and its gradual transformation into a new dream of their old home.
«Rain Catcher» Director: Michele Fiascaris, Italy, UK, 2026, 109 min, world premiere
On dark, rainy nights, Miles wanders the streets of London, photographing the city's hidden corners and its inhabitants. The results of these voyeuristic forays, published under the pseudonym "Raincatcher," earn him considerable fame on social media and among the cultural elite. However, over time, he begins to notice the same mysterious woman in his photographs—a woman who watches his every move and gradually begins to threaten his entire work and his very existence. Michele Fiascaris's debut feature, full of intrigue and a dark atmosphere, explores the city's underbelly and the troubled human mind. Viewers are invited to immerse themselves in Miles's paranoia as he unravels reality, piece by piece.
Shokyakuro / Director waste incineration plant : Shuntaro UchidaJapan, 2026, 97 min, World Premiere
Ten-year-old Kozue, definitely not one of the popular kids at school, secretly spends her time throwing various objects into the school incinerator. When Jinta, a university student, comes to her class and invites the children to a shadow play, something awakens within Kozue, and her journey to adulthood begins. In this poetic story, based on a short story by Japanese author Kaori Ekuni (dubbed "the female Murakami"), sunny summer days are leisurely intertwined with scenes of everyday life, revealing a silent yet unsettling encounter with a world that often seems impenetrable to a child's gaze. Understanding family relationships, mortality, and one's own emotions is far more complex than turning objects to ashes.
Petty thieves / Petty Thieves Director: Mate Ugrin Croatia, Germany, France, 2026, 106 min, World Premiere
Summer is in full swing, the tourist season on the Adriatic. A lonely man named Rio works part-time as a kitchen helper at a local hotel, but also commits petty thefts at the expense of foreign tourists. When a young Serbian worker, Andrea, discovers his thefts, they strike an unusual pact: they will steal together and split the profits. But this pragmatic alliance blossoms into an unexpected intimacy. Croatian director Mate Ugrin's debut feature film follows several distinctive Balkan films of recent years. With witty metaphors, subtle elliptical editing, and a striking use of atmosphere, "Petty Thieves" paints a portrait of solidarity among people who never stop dreaming of a better future, despite the tourism industry that marginalizes them.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Bara Basikova / Bára – Diary of a Rockstar Director: Helena Třeštiková Czech Republic, 2026, 97 min, World Premiere
Bara Basicová is an icon of Czech rock and other musical genres. How different is her public, media-distorted image from who she really is? The answer lies in Helena Třeštíková's latest long-term documentary research. Her empathy, combined with the protagonist's admirable self-reflection and openness, creates a captivating cinematic portrait: over the course of fifty years, we follow a woman who demonstrates remarkable fortitude while facing challenges in both her professional and personal lives.
Dvě deci tuše Director : Ester GeislerováCzech Republic, Slovakia, 2026, 83 min, World Premiere
If the quality of a biographical documentary is measured by its ability to awaken in viewers previously unfamiliar with the subject a desire to get to know him better and spend time in his «magnetic field,» then «Circle of Ink »" is a successful film. Another reason is that Esther Geislerová, the daughter of Japanologist, translator, journalist, educator, and calligrapher Petr Geisler (1949–2009), managed to capture her father's exceptional status in Czech culture of the late 20th century (and beyond), without losing sight of the intimate, familial, joyful, and painful aspects. Using photographs, home videos, letters, and personal memoirs, she creates a portrait of a charismatic, charming man who remained mysteriously elusive even to his closest relatives.
Kdyby se holubi proměnili ve zlato / If the doves turned into gold Director: Pepa LuboyackyCzech Republic, Slovakia, 2026, 110 min.
It wasn't just the Best Documentary Award at this year's Berlin Film Festival that turned doves into gold for contemporary Czech documentary film. Have you ever mourned someone who's still alive? Filming on her iPhone, director Pepa Lubojacký tries to understand why her beloved older brother and two cousins are homeless, struggling with drug addiction. Avoiding the temptations of sentimentality and shot in a DIY aesthetic enriched by the creative use of stylized memories, graphic inserts, and artificial intelligence, this disarmingly personal film explores family history, the causes and consequences of addiction, and the limits of personal honesty. What is the right expression of love—to save or to let go?
Khaneh doost injast / A friend's house is here. Directors: Maryam Ataei, Hossein Keshavarz. Iran, USA, 2025, 96 min. International premiere.
Pari and Hanna, roommates and friends, live in modern-day Tehran. Pari is a curator and director of an independent theater group; Hanna is a dancer who wants to leave Iran as soon as possible. Both women's circumstances become complicated, but their friendship remains strong in the face of political repression. «"My friend's house is here."» — is a captivating cinematic experience that conveys a sense of freedom and hope, despite being made in completely different circumstances. Just days after the June war in Iran, a film crew led by directors Hossein Keshavarz and Maryam Ataei took to the streets of Tehran to make a film about a generation that no longer wants to live by imposed rules and strives to achieve one of the most fundamental human rights—free artistic expression.
«"Learning to breathe underwater.". Director: Rebecca Fortune. UK, Netherlands, Ireland, 2026, 95 min. World premiere.
Eight-year-old Leo lives with his father and a giant shark that crashed through the roof of their house. Yes, you read that correctly. The shark is Leo's best friend, the one he can trust with all his secrets. He barely talks to his father; he must be missing his mother, who's been around for five years. Then their nanny, Anya, enters their life, and their world suddenly changes. It becomes more cheerful, and Leo discovers that the metal shark isn't his only friend. A captivating film for parents and children about how to talk to each other and how to grieve together. It's about how difficult it can be to understand the adult world and how important it is to take children's opinions seriously. And, most of all, it's about learning to breathe again.
Město otců / City of Fathers Director: Zdeněk TycCzech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, 2026, 100 min, World Premiere
Outstanding director Zdeněk Týc offers a story about a father and son united only by their name, Richard, and an apartment in a residential complex. The sturdy, good-natured thirty-year-old worker listens to heavy metal and occasionally lets his girlfriend into his life. The fragile, retired teacher, who raised the boy after his mother's death, is the embodiment of care and understanding. However, their quiet, shared reality, a cross between the hardcore band Nashrot and a Bergman film, «"Cries and Whispers"» , is disrupted by the sudden death of his mother. Young Richard embarks on a unique journey of initiation, filled with strange encounters and moments of unexpected enlightenment. Tyts delves headlong into existential themes, ably supported by a stellar cast led by Tomasz Vravník and Vladimir Javorsky.
Mistrine / «"Everything is as it should be"» Director: Bohdan Karasek, Czech Republic, 2026, 101 minutes, World Premiere
Monika, a doctor by profession, is happily in a relationship and expecting a child. She still gets along well with her ex-husband, Petr, so she decides to tell him in person about her pregnancy. They both had difficulty conceiving. Their meeting over coffee extends into the evening, giving them plenty of time to talk about what could have been and what might have been. Director, screenwriter, and editor Bohdan Karasek pays homage to mumblecore, a dialogue-driven genre. The conversation between the two main characters, superbly played by Marie Švěstková and Jiří Havelka, raises many issues that many middle-aged men and women face.
Morten. Director: Ivan Pavlyutskov. Estonia, Lithuania, 2026, 101 min. World premiere.
Youthful fragility and self-discovery are common motifs in the contemporary coming-of-age film genre, but few directors tackle social issues in a poetic or spiritually charged way. Estonian director Ivan Pavlyutskov certainly falls into the latter category. In his debut feature, fifteen-year-old photographer Morten finds himself caught between two worlds—between two girls, between nature and civilization, between everyday reality and mysticism, between what's right and what others want. Exploring the depths of the Baltic forests and the soul of a young boy, «Morten» will charm audiences of all ages with its warmth and understanding of all its characters.
Robert Richardson: The White Devil. Director: Jana Hojdová. Czech Republic, USA, 2026, 105 min. World premiere.
Jana Hojdová, a former cinematography student at FAMU Prague, sent an email to contact Robert Richardson, one of the most prominent cinematographers of our time. It must have been a great surprise to receive a response from Richardson himself. What began as a student assignment and a thesis project soon blossomed into a creative collaboration and personal friendship. The more incredible the film's plot seems, the more captivating its portrait of a unique and uncompromising artist, a three-time Oscar winner and a renowned collaborator of directors such as Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese, and Quentin Tarantino.
History of documentary film – 1980s. Director: Mark Cousins. UK, 2026, 120 min. World premiere.
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival's nearly fifteen-year friendship with Mark Cousins, whose stunning film essays have captivated countless audiences over the years, is firmly rooted in a shared passion for the world of cinema and the festival's sincere admiration for this inimitable Northern Irish filmmaker, writer, curator, film critic, and traveler. Following the now legendary series «History of Cinema: An Odyssey» и «Women Make Films» , This charismatic storyteller presents us with another saga, this time dedicated to documentary filmmaking. Of the sixteen hour-long chapters covering the entire history of the tenth muse, Cousins chose for Karlovy Vary the section devoted to the 1980s—an era of fundamental sociopolitical significance for our region.
To die to live. Director: Julia Ontaruk. Ukraine, Latvia, Slovakia, 2026, 116 min. World premiere.
In 2014, Shakhta, Dancer, and Potter volunteered to fight in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in eastern Ukraine. Although the horrific events they endured during their two years on the frontline haunt them every second of their lives, they attempt to return to civilian life. But the Russian invasion in 2022 forces them to confront war once again. This documentary, filmed over twelve years, uses fragmented cinematic language to convey the trauma experienced by its subjects, helping us imagine the unimaginable: how to accept the fact that some live and others die, and that—in the face of one's own mortality—the will to live remains above all.
Freed / Gregorius the Chosen Director: Tomas MelnikCzech Republic, Poland, Romania, 2026, 90 min, World Premiere
«"Puppeteer, tell us a story we don't know yet!" the audience cries to the traveling actor. And he begins to tell the tale of a boy born from the forbidden love of a brother and sister, of countless adventures, of seventeen years spent tied to a rock, and of how he might also have been... a hedgehog? But that's not as important as how, having overcome all these obstacles, he eventually became Pope. Young Grigori (wonderfully played by Jan František Uher) is a charming combination of naivety and determination, and watching him wander through mythical lands is a joy. Director Tomáš Melník's wild, absurd comedy is based on Thomas Mann's final novel.
Zpráva pro Minervu 2 / A Report for Minerva 2 Director: Miroslav Krobot, Lubomir SmekalCzech Republic, 2026, 69 min, World Premiere
The lives of a diverse group of guests and staff intertwine in a dilapidated hotel. Some have arrived seeking peace and a brief escape from the daily grind, while others crave change—or even love. A lonely clarinetist crosses paths with a young man seeking romantic adventure, an unhappy couple, an eccentric hotel employee, and even an alien sent from the planet Minerva 2 to report on the state of Earth. From fleeting encounters, awkward moments, internal monologues, and quiet observations, a mosaic of fourteen intertwining stories emerges. This experimental film by Miroslav Krobot and Lubomir Smekal is based on the theater production of the same name by the S 23 theater troupe, whose non-professional actors create stage performances based on the dialogic method of acting.
The jury of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
The Crystal Globe Jury«
Justin Chang
Justin Chang — film critic for the magazine The New Yorker and the NPR program "Fresh Air." In 2024, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Film Criticism for his articles on Los Angeles Times , where he worked for eight years. Previously, he was the chief film critic Variety . Chang is the chairman of the National Society of Film Critics and secretary of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, as well as a member of the New York Film Festival selection committee. He teaches at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.
Amanda Nell Eu
Amanda Nell Eu is a filmmaker based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her debut feature film «Tiger Stripes» won the Grand Prix at the 2023 Cannes Critics' Week Film Festival. The film was also Malaysia's official entry for the 2023 Academy Awards. Amanda graduated from the London Film School with an MFA in film production and is a graduate of the Berlinale Talents, Tokyo Talents, and Locarno Filmmakers Academy programs. She has also served on juries for various film festivals and taught filmmaking masterclasses internationally.
Pavel Reykholets
Pavel Reykholets — Czech sound engineer, producer, composer, and teacher. He graduated from the Sound Design Department at FAMU, where he has headed the department since 2011. During his career, he has worked as a sound engineer on over fifty Czech and international feature films. Since 2003, he has been the managing director of Soundsquare Studios. He has won the Czech Lion Award for Best Sound eight times, including for films. «Zatopek» и «The Painted Bird» . As a dubbing supervisor, he collaborated with Lucasfilm on films «Star Wars: Episode II» и «Star Wars: Episode III» . He is a member of the Association of Film Sound Engineers and is a member of the board of the Czech Film and Television Academy.
Nadya Turinchev
Nadya Turintsev Born in Moscow, raised in Paris, and studied cultural anthropology, she began her career in the film industry at age 16, working as a cook for Marcello Mastroianni. In 2007, she co-founded Rouge International, producing over 25 films ( Fix ME , Mimosas , Raw , nominated for an Oscar« The Insult и Faces Places ). In 2019, she left Rouge and created Easy Riders Films with Omar El Kadi ( Mariupol 2 , Crossing , Only Rebels Win ). She recently launched her own company, Sento Films, to produce "unrealizable" films.
Eskil Vogt
Eskil Vogt — a Norwegian film director who has been nominated for two Oscars. His directorial debut, the film "Blind"« (2014), was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the award for best screenplay. His second work, «"Innocent"» (2021), was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and subsequently won over 20 international awards. Eskil also works closely with Joachim Trier, co-writing all of his feature films, starting with «"Reprises » (2006), including «Oslo, August 31» (2011), «"The worst person in the world"» (2021) and «Sentimental value» (2025). Vogt is a graduate of the French national film school La Fémis.
PROXIMA Jury
Estrella Araiza
Estrella Araiza — General Director of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) and the UDG Cinematheque, where she is dedicated to strengthening the presence of Mexican and Latin American cinema at both organizations. Her professional career includes serving as Director of Industry and Markets at FICG, as well as working as a sales agent, educator, and film distributor in Mexico. She began her career in international film distribution in 2005 and founded her own company, Vendo Cine, in 2012. Since 2018, she has overseen special projects at FICG, including the acclaimed exhibition «Guillermo del Toro: At Home with My Monsters» in Guadalajara.
Dirk Decker
Dirk Decker — producer and co-founder of the Hamburg-based film company Tamtam Film. Through Tamtam, he works with young talent and supports original auteur cinema in both feature and documentary genres. His work has been screened at major international festivals. His most recent films include «"Rain fell on nothing new"» (Karlovy Vary, 2025), «Short Summer» (Venice, 2025, "The Lion of the Future") and «The Trial of Hein» (Berlinale 2026, Teddy Jury Prize).
Jakub Felkman
Jakub Feltsman — Czech screenwriter, festival organizer, film critic, creative producer, director, and qualified plumber. He studied film at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University and at FAMU, published interviews and film analyses (for Cinepur), programmed film festivals, and co-founded two of them (Ostrava Kamera Oko, Marienbad). As a script editor, he collaborated on films by Jan Němec, Petr Václav, Radu Jude, and Corneliu Porumboiu. Several films he co-wrote or produced have been shown in cinemas (e.g., «"Too Young a Night"» , «A Certain Silence» и «The Wolf of Royal Vineyard Street »).
Devika Girish
Devika Girish — editor of the magazine Film Comment and the program director for Talks at the New York Film Festival. Her articles are also published in The New York Times , The New York Review of Books , The Nation , The New Republic , Sight & Sound , The Criterion Collection, and other publications. She has curated programs for the Criterion Channel, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Film at Lincoln Center, the Mumbai Film Festival, Berlin Critics' Week, and others. Devika has been invited to serve on the jury of CPH:DOX, the Locarno Film Festival, SEMINCI, and Visions du Réel.
Maria Kavtaradze
Maria Kavtaradze — Lithuanian director and screenwriter. After graduating from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2014, she made her feature film debut with the film "Summer Survivors"« in 2018, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by the film «"Slowly »" (2023), which won the Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival and had its European premiere at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival (KVIFF) in 2023. Maria works as a screenwriter for short and feature films, including «"Visitor"» (directed by Vytautas Katkus, KVIFF 2025), «"Runner"» (directed by Andrius Blaževičius, KVIFF 2021), animated television series «Best Friend» for children and others.
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