The 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF, see the news) has concluded with its traditional awards ceremony. This year's event marked the 30th anniversary of Jiří Bartoška's presidency. The top prize in the Crystal Globe Competition was awarded to British director-producer Mark Cousins for his documentary A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Mark Cousins
scheda film], which explores the life and work of 20th-century British painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. Norwegian actress Helga Guren received the Best Actress Award for her role in Lilja Ingolfsdottir's relationship dramedy Loveable [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lilja Ingolfsdottir
scheda film] for her portrayal of Maria, an anger-prone woman in her forties grappling with personal issues as her second husband considers ending their relationship. Loveable, which secured distribution in multiple territories early on in the festival, became this year’s juries’ darling, as the film won three more awards in addition to Best Actress and the Special Jury Prize: the Grand Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, the Europa Cinemas Label and the FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Crystal Globe Competition.

The top prize in the Proxima Competition was awarded to Zhengfan Yang for Stranger [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Zhengfan Yang
scheda film], a film comprising seven vignettes set in hotel rooms. Each segment is shot in a single, long take, seamlessly blending humour, poignancy and meditative moments to offer brief insights into the lives of the transient inhabitants. Peruvian director Paolo Tizón also garnered recognition for his documentary Night Has Come [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Paolo Tizón
scheda film], which provides an immersive and impressionistic portrayal of Peruvian special forces cadets training for conflict in the VRAEM region. The film captures their gruelling boot-camp experiences, offering a visceral glimpse into the intense preparation required for such a demanding role. Tizón took home the Special Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Proxima Competition.

However, the 58th edition of the KVIFF also spotlighted emerging domestic talents. Jiří Mádl's crowd-pleasing period thriller about the Prague Spring, focusing on the employees of Czechoslovak Radio protecting freedom until the arrival of the Warsaw Pact army, Waves [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jiří Mádl
scheda film], pocketed the Audience Award. Newcomer Adam Martinec introduced his debut film, Our Lovely Pig Slaughter [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Adam Martinec
scheda film], in the main competition and earned a Special Jury Mention. Similarly, Slovak-born, Czech-based director Martin Pavol Repka received the same commendation for his intimate observational debut, March to May [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Martin Pavol Repka
scheda film], in the Proxima Competition.

In total, the festival organised 453 screenings of 109 feature-length fiction films, 27 documentary features and 41 short films. This diverse array of movies encompassed 33 world premieres, eight international debuts and three European premieres taking place in the picturesque Czech spa town.

The 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is slated for 4-12 July 2025.

The winners of the industry awards within KVIFF Eastern Promises can be found here.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Crystal Globe Competition

Grand Prix – Crystal Globe
A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Mark Cousins
scheda film] - Mark Cousins (UK)

Special Jury Prize
Loveable [+leggi anche:
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trailer
intervista: Lilja Ingolfsdottir
scheda film] - Lilja Ingolfsdottir (Norway)

Best Director
Nelicia Low – Pierce [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nelicia Low
scheda film] (Singapore/Taiwan/Poland)

Best Actress
Helga Guren - Loveable

Best Actor (ex-aequo)
Ton Kas, Guido Pollemans - Three Days of Fish [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Peter Hoogendoorn
scheda film] (Netherlands/Belgium)

Special Jury Mention
Xoftex [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Noaz Deshe
scheda film] - Noaz Deshe (Germany/France)
Our Lovely Pig Slaughter [+leggi anche:
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trailer
intervista: Adam Martinec
scheda film] - Adam Martinec (Czech Republic/Slovakia)

Proxima Competition

Grand Prix
Stranger [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Zhengfan Yang
scheda film] - Zhengfan Yang (USA/China/Netherlands/Norway/France)

Special Jury Prize
Night Has Come [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Paolo Tizón
scheda film] - Paolo Tizón (Peru/Spain/Mexico)

Special Jury Mention
March to May [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Martin Pavol Repka
scheda film] - Martin Pavol Repka (Czech Republic)

Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema
Ivan Trojan

Festival President’s Award
Viggo Mortensen
Daniel Brühl
Clive Owen

Non-statutory awards

Právo Audience Award
Waves [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jiří Mádl
scheda film] - Jiří Mádl (Czech Republic/Slovakia)

Grand Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Loveable - Lilja Ingolfsdottir

Commendation of the Ecumenical Jury
Panopticon [+leggi anche:
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intervista: George Sikharulidze
scheda film] - George Sikharulidze (Georgia/France/Italy/Romania)

Europa Cinemas Label
Loveable - Lilja Ingolfsdottir

FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Crystal Globe Competition
Loveable - Lilja Ingolfsdottir

FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Proxima Competition
Night Has Come - Paolo Tizón