The 57th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has drawn to a close, culminating in an awards ceremony that underscored the festival's reputation for championing modern and socially-engaged cinema. Topping the honours was Bulgarian director Stephan Komandarev's social thriller Blaga's Lessons [+lee también:
crítica
entrevista: Stephan Komandarev
ficha de la película]. The film, which centres on a retired literature teacher who refuses to become a victim of systemic corruption after falling prey to scammers, sparked considerable conversation. Anchored by an outstanding performance from Eli Skorcheva, who won the Best Actress Award, the film also claimed the Grand Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, underlining its broader appeal.

Another standout was Ernst De Geer's The Hypnosis [+lee también:
crítica
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entrevista: Asta Kamma August
entrevista: Ernst De Geer
ficha de la película], a sharp satire on societal norms. Herbert Nordrum won Best Actor for his role, and the film itself secured both the Europa Cinemas Label Award and the FIPRESCI award for the best film in the Crystal Globe Competition. Within this same section, the Special Jury Prize was awarded to Behrooz Karamizade's Empty Nets [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Behrooz Karamizade
ficha de la película], while Babak Jalali was recognised as Best Director for his American feature Fremont.

In the Proxima competition, a platform for emerging talent and discoveries, the main prize — the Proxima Grand Prix — went to South Korean director Yoo Ji-young's intense drama Birth, an exploration of relationships, social and gender norms, and life's dilemmas. Saurav Rai's Darjeeling-set coming-of-age story, Guras, clinched the Proxima Special Jury Prize. Meanwhile, the FIPRESCI award for the best film in the Proxima category was awarded to Imago [+lee también:
crítica
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entrevista: Olga Chajdas, Lena Góra
ficha de la película], a riveting punk drama by Polish director Olga Chajdas.

Special Jury Mentions were given to Cyril Aris's meta-cinematic post-Beirut blast chronicle Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano [+lee también:
crítica
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entrevista: Cyril Aris
ficha de la película], and Albert Hospodářský's slightly surreal coming-of-age road movie Brutal Heat [+lee también:
crítica
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entrevista: Albert Hospodářský
ficha de la película]. Vincent Perez's period drama Edge of the Blade [+lee también:
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entrevista: Vincent Perez
ficha de la película] (read our review) charmed the festival attendees enough to earn the Právo Audience Award.

In total, the festival showcased 445 screenings of 185 films, including 116 fiction features, 28 documentary features, and 41 short films. This diverse array of films saw 36 world premieres, 11 international debuts, and five European premieres taking place in the picturesque Czech spa town. 

The 58^th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is slated for 28 June to 6 July, 2024.

Here is the full list of awards:

Crystal Globe Competition

Grand Prix – Crystal Globe
Blaga's Lessons [+lee también:
crítica
entrevista: Stephan Komandarev
ficha de la película] - Stephan Komandarev (Bulgaria/Germany)

Special Jury Prize
Empty Nets [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Behrooz Karamizade
ficha de la película] - Behrooz Karamizade (Germany/Iran)

Best Director 
Babak Jalali – Fremont (USA)

Best Actress 
Eli Skorcheva - Blaga's Lessons

Best Actor 
Herbert Nordrum – The Hypnosis [+lee también:
crítica
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entrevista: Asta Kamma August
entrevista: Ernst De Geer
ficha de la película] (Sweden/Norway/France)

Special Jury Mention
Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Cyril Aris
ficha de la película] - Cyril Aris (Germany/Lebanon)

Proxima Competition

Grand Prix
Birth - Yoo Ji-young (South Korea)

Special Jury Prize
Guras - Saurav Rai (India/Nepal)

Special Jury Mention
Brutal Heat [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Albert Hospodářský
ficha de la película] - Albert Hospodářský (Czech Republic/Slovak Republic)

Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema
Russell Crowe

Festival President’s Award for Contribution to Czech Cinematography
Daniela Kolářová

Festival President’s Award
Alicia Vikander
Ewan McGregor
Robin Wright

Non-statutory Awards

Právo Audience Award
Edge of the Blade [+lee también:
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entrevista: Vincent Perez
ficha de la película] - Vincent Perez (France)

Grand Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Blaga's Lessons - Stephan Komandarev (Bulgaria/Germany)
Commendation of the Ecumenical Jury
Citizen Saint [+lee también:
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entrevista: Tinatin Kajrishvili
ficha de la película] - Tinatin Kajrishvili (Georgia/France/Bulgaria)

Europa Cinemas Label
The Hypnosis - Ernst De Geer (Sweden/Norway/France)

FIPRESCI Award for the best film in the Crystal Globe Competition
The Hypnosis - Ernst De Geer (Sweden/Norway/France)

FIPRESCI Award for the best film in the Proxima Competition
Imago [+lee también:
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entrevista: Olga Chajdas, Lena Góra
ficha de la película] - Olga Chajdas (Poland/Netherlands/Czech Republic)