The 2025 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s KVIFF Industry Days (6-9 July) is poised for its most ambitious edition yet, with a sharpened Central European focus and a significant leap into small-screen content. Expanding to a four-day format and hosting events in the historic Kaiserbad venue, this year’s programme introduces new showcases, strategic partnerships, and curated opportunities for creators across film and series formats.

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One of the key innovations is the launch of KVIFF Central Stage, a bold reimagining of the festival’s Works in Progress section. Organised by the KVIFF Film Industry Office in collaboration with national film institutes from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine, the new format will present 13 fiction films by established filmmakers through interactive talks that highlight each country’s co-production landscape. Taking place on 8 July, the showcase shifts the spotlight towards mid-career creators, offering more visibility and strategic support at a critical phase of production. Participating projects will be eligible for exclusive post-production benefits from UPP and Soundsquare, and for the €20,000 Eurimages Co-production Development Award. Hugo Rosák, head of KVIFF Industry Office, explains: “We chose this new format because it addresses a real gap in the Central European film landscape. There is significant support for emerging filmmakers across Eastern Europe, but mid-career filmmakers often lack the necessary spotlight and resources to secure financing, even though their projects are equally compelling.”

Further expanding its remit, KVIFF joins forces with Central European Media Enterprises Ltd (CME), the major regional broadcaster and operator of the Oneplay platform (formerly Voyo), to introduce a new small-screen section. CME’s involvement underlines a commitment to television and streaming, and includes two days of programming – showcases, panels and curated matchmaking – focused on series development. Rosák notes: “Rather than competing with existing specialised events, this initiative leverages KVIFF’s unique strengths in fostering international connections and providing an ideal environment for presenting and developing television and streaming projects alongside traditional cinema.”

At the heart of this new TV focus is the Pop-Up Series Incubator, created and presented by Tatino Films, co-financed by the European Union, and supported by La Région Grand Est, the city of Reims and KVIFF. On Tuesday 8 July, five series will be presented to industry professionals following an eight-month development cycle (see the news).

Continuing its longstanding collaboration with the MIDPOINT Institute, KVIFF Eastern Promises will also host the traditional Works in Development – Feature Launch presentation, showcasing nine fiction features in development, alongside Focus Queer, which highlights five projects exploring LGBTQ+ themes. All 14 works will be competing for the €10,000 Midpoint & KVIFF Development Award and the €20,000 Eurimages Co-production Development Award. Presentations will take place on 7 July.

For its third edition, the KVIFF Talents initiative returns with a strong cohort of six projects selected from among nearly 200 submissions. Divided into the Creative Pool (which focuses on identifying innovative ideas for audiovisual works of any genre or format, from short films and series to podcasts or game concepts) and Feature Pool (dedicated to supporting the development of original auteur-driven feature-length fiction films), the programme supports early-stage development of innovative concepts from Czech and Slovak creators. Each project will receive tailored mentorship, development funding and an opportunity to be pitched to industry professionals on 7 July.

Overall, the KVIFF Eastern Promises platform will present 38 projects across all of its initiatives, supported by key partners including Barrandov Studio, Connecting Cottbus, ČEZ Foundation, Eurimages, IFFR, Marché du Film, the MIDPOINT Institute, Oneplay, Soundsquare, Tatino Films and UPP. Industry Days will also feature staple events such as the Czech Film Industry Forum and International Industry Insights Forum, along with workshops, talks and networking sessions. Full details of the programme will be announced later in June.

Here are the projects announced so far for KVIFF Industry Days 2025 (the works in progress will be unveiled at a later date):

Pop Up Series Incubator

Erotic Lives of the Superheroes (France)
Producer: Eric Dupont (Incognito Films)
Accompanied screenwriters: Nadya Todorova, Ruddy-Williams Kabuiku

Angelmaker - Cristina Grosan (Romania)
Producer: Anda Ionescu (Tangaj Production)
Accompanied screenwriters: Leana Jalukse, Loïc Barrère

Therapies - Birutė Kapustinskaitė (Lithuania)
Producer: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė (Just A Moment)
Accompanied screenwriters: Fabrizio Muscia, Ruxandra Ghitescu

The Three Burials of Irma - Elina Psykou (Greece)
Producer: Fenia Cossovitsa (Blonde SA)
Accompanied screenwriter: Lemba de Miranda

The Night of the Beguines - David Roux (France)
Producers: Candice Zaccagnino, Eliane Antoinette
Accompanied screenwriter: Yaelle Kayam

Works in Development – Feature Launch 2025

Battalion Records - Ștefan Bîtu-Tudoran (Romania)
Producer: Diana Caravia (microFILM)

History of Illness - David Gašo (Croatia)
Producer: Marta Eva Mećava (Eclectica)

RadioAmator - Tomasz Habowski (Poland)
Producer: Marta Szarzyńska (Watchout Studio)

Restless - Albert Hospodářský (Czech Republic)
Producer: Ondřej Lukeš (Beginner's Mind)

Carla’s Enzo - Elmar Imanov, Adel Oberto (Germany/Italy)
Producer: Eva Blondiau (COLOR OF MAY)

Sailing Close to the Wind - Ivana Marinić Kragić (Croatia)
Producers: Milica Jokić, Ivana Marinić Kragić (Marinis Media)

The Last Game - Andrei Redinciuc (Romania)
Scriptwriters: Andrei Redinciuc, Carol Ionescu
Producer: Eliza Ceprăzaru (Point Film)

Soyboy - Raphael von Blumenthal (UK)
Producer: Michelle Brøndum (Jante Films)

In Good Faith - Anna Wowra (Czech Republic)
Scriptwriter: Alžbeta Gertli
Producer: Julie Soffer (Perfilm)

Focus Queer 2025

No Money No Honey - Yen-Ying (Etsen) Chen (Taiwan)
Producer: Yan-Hao Huang (A House Film Production)

Mazel Tov, Davide! - Šimon Holý (Czech Republic/France/UK)
Producers: Pavla Klimešová, Jan Syruček (Helium Film)

Devil’s Instrument - Andreas Kessler (Germany)
Producer, scriptwriter: Frederik Ehrhardt (Freud & Ecstasy)

Gillyfish - Sarah Sellman (Ireland/UK)
Producer: Maya Korn (MHK Productions)

The House of the Mother - Jeure Tavare (Dominican Republic)
Producer: Yatnna Gabriela Montilla (No Hay Sitema SRL)

KVIFF Talents 2025

Feature Pool

Nameless - Daria Kashcheeva (Czech Republic)
Producer: Lukáš Kokeš (Nutprodukce)

Spirit Moose - Tomáš Klein (Czech Republic/Slovakia)
Screenwriter: Barbora Námerová
Producer: Tomáš Michálek (Master Film)

Burnout - Greta Stocklassa (Czech Republic)
Producer: Marek Novák (Xova Films)

Creative Pool

Lost Boys - Dužan Duong (Czech Republic)
Producers: AZN kru, Nutprodukce

Mould - Phillip Kastner (Czech Republic)
Producer: Tereza Havlová

Remake - Kateřina Letáková (Czech Republic)
Producer: Daniel Bleha (Filmkolektiv)