The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is gearing up for its 60th edition, which will take place in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary from July 3 to 11. This year, the festival is doubling down on its commitment to Central European co-production with the introduction of the KVIFF Central Stage and the inaugural Book-to-Screen program.
KVIFF Central Stage
The KVIFF Central Stage is designed to showcase upcoming feature films by established filmmakers in late-stage development, production, or post-production. This initiative aims to address a notable gap in the Central European film landscape, where mid-career filmmakers typically have fewer opportunities for visibility and financing than emerging ones.
The 11 films selected for the KVIFF Central Stage are:
- The Flying Mountain (Switzerland, Ireland, Austria) - Directed by Nicolas Steiner, who has previously screened his films at Berlin, Rotterdam, and KVIFF.
- Screaming Girl (Ukraine, Ireland) - Directed by AntonioLukich, whose film My Thoughts Are Silent screened at KVIFF.
- Noah (Ukraine, Croatia, Belgium) - Directed and written by MarysiaNikitiuk, whose documentary Traces won the Audience Award at the Berlinale.
- Lesdenzero (Czech Republic, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania) - Directed by CristinaGroșan, who premiered her film Ordinary Failures at Venice.
- The Stones Are Rolling to Prague (Czech Republic, Slovakia) - Directed and written by TomášHodan, who will showcase his upcoming comedic film.
- A Few Branches Off (Czech Republic) - Directed and written by TomášPavlíček, who will present a Czech cottage culture comedy.
- Tribe (Poland, Albania) - Directed and written by OlgaChajdas, known to Karlovy Vary audiences from Imago.
- Trainrider (Germany) - Directed by Sebastian Fritzsch, whose debut Endzeit premiered at Berlin.
- Yugoslavia, My Fatherland (Slovenia, North Macedonia, Serbia) - Directed by GoranVojnović, who will present the upcoming film adaptation of his own book.
- Cowgirl (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary) - Directed by MichalBlaško, who will showcase his upcoming coming-of-age drama.
- Hansi (Austria) - Directed by SebastianBrauneis, who will present his boxing biography.
Book-to-Screen at KVIFF
The Book-to-Screen program is designed to create a market for film adaptation rights to original IP from Central and Eastern Europe and strengthen cooperation between the film and publishing industries.
The eight literary works selected for the Book-to-Screen showcase are:
- The True Way Out (Czech Republic) - A coming-of-age, autobiographical memoir by PatrikBanga, who won the MagnesiaLiteraaward for best debut in 2023.
- Playing Wolf (Czech Republic) - A folk horror, psychological thriller by ZuzanaŘíhová, former head of Czech Studies at Oxford.
- The Zone (Slovakia) - A graphic novel by DanielMajling, known for its absurd characters, dark humor, and striking visuals.
- Queen of Hearts (Moldova) - A dystopian satire by Iulian Ciocan, exploring an ever-expanding crater in post-communist Chișinăuu.
- Aspic Bistro (Lithuania) - A magic-realism satire by IevaDumbrytė, set in a surreal kitchen environment.
- Cupid at the Kremlin Wall (Georgia) - A historical drama and detective novel by AkaMorchiladze, set during the Stalinist terror in the 1930s.
- The River Odyssey of Kora from Willow Meadow (Poland) - A children's literature book by AdamRobiński, about a young beaver with ecological relevance.
- Amadoka (Ukraine) - A historical/war novel by SophiaAndrukhovych, starting with the war in the Donbas and combining an intimate human story with historical trauma.
In my opinion, the KVIFF Central Stage and Book-to-Screen programs are exciting initiatives that will help develop dialogue between the film and publishing industries in Central and Eastern Europe. These programs will not only provide opportunities for filmmakers and authors but also create a more transparent environment for adaptation rights in the region. I look forward to seeing the films and books that emerge from these programs and the impact they will have on the film and publishing industries in the region.
