The 59th Karlovy varies international Film Festival (July 4-12) does not have one without two competitions, Crystal Globe and Proxima, curated by artistic director Karel and and CEO Kryštof Mucha. The festival is the most important summer event in the country, which attracts many sponsors and protectors who want to participate, and face none of the financial difficulties of such Festivals Like Berlin, Toronto and Sundance.
Last year, 130 films were shown and 140,000 tickets were sold. There is no room for growth, given the limited arenas, from the many screening rooms on the festival hub, Hotel Thermal, where lawyers hang between views, to the colorful arthouse Kino Drahomira, named after a revered Czech female director.
The central European festival falls between Cannes and Venice and programs many films in its Crystal Globe competition that did not make the average on Cannes, as well as films that were not yet finished. Winning a top prize on Kviff also adds lusts to a movie’s release track. And visiting celebrities enjoying their time at the festival, from gala dinners at Hotel Pupp and Hotel Valion, to post -hours hanging in the basement Becher’s Bar at the puppy, which inspired Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
This year’s festival tributes are Stellan Skarsgård, recipient of a Crystal Globe Award for outstanding artistic contributions to the World Cinema, and Vicky Krieps, Dakota Johnson and Peter Sarsgaard, each will accept Kviff President’s awards.
Stellan Skarsgård Will Personally Present The Cannes Grand Prix Winner “Sentimental value” (Mubi), the sixth film directed by Joachim Trier, who served Raves and is expected to compete for several Oscars. Skarsgård was a guest at the 2002 festival, when he presented director István Szabon’s film “Taking Sides.”
During his long career, Skarsgårds has shown a rare rare among actors, alternating between Hollywood blockbuster and arthouse price: his name helps indie films to do. He made his international breakthrough as the leadership of Lars von Trier’s “Breaking The Waves” (1996), which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. He also played in the director’s “Dancer in the Dark” (2000), “Dogville” (2003), “Melancholia” (2011), both parts of “Nymphomaniac” (2013) and the TV series “The Kingdom.”
Together with the latest roles in “Mamma Mia!” And its sequel and in MCU Skarsgård made an Emmy nomination for its role in HBO’s miniseries “Chernobyl” (2019) and played memorable villain Baron Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve’s two-part “Dune” Saga. He has also been acclaimed for his role on TV’s “Andor.”
At the opening ceremony, Kviff president’s award will be awarded for Luxembourg-born Vicky Krieps, winner of a European film award for best actress for the Biopian “Corsage”, a performance she also won best actress in Cannes UN’s certain consideration. She broke out internationally in 2017, when she showed up opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread.” She showed up on Karlovy varies last year in Viggo Mortensen’s Western “The dead do not hurt” (2023). This year’s UN some considerations at the Cannes Film Festival included “Love Me Tender” (2025; Dir. Anna Cazenave Cambet), which will also screen at Karlovy varies. Later this year, she will show up with Cate Blanchett and Adam runs in Jim Jarmusch’s Venice entry “Father, Mom, Sister, Brother.”
American actress Dakota Johnson will also receive Kviff president’s award and present his last two films, Celine Song’s “Materialists” and Michael Covinos Cannes -Valva “Splitsville.”
Peter Sarsgaard recently played in director Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5”, which was nominated for best film drama on 2025 Golden Globes. Sarsgaard also won the Volpi Cup at Venice 2023 for Michel Franco’s “Memory”, opposite Jessica Chastain. He also played as Tommy Molto in the 2024 series “Adopted Innocent” (Apple TV+) opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, Renate Reinsve and Ruth Negga.
In 2021, he played the lead role in the Oscar-nominated “The Lost Daughter”, written and directed by his wife Maggie Gyllenhaal, based on the novel with the same title by Elena Ferrante. The film collected Oscar nominations for both Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley as well as a nomination for best original script. Sarsgaard recently wrapped production at Warner Bros. ‘”The bride!”, Which will be released later this year. Directed by his wife, Maggie Gyllenhaal, owns the film in the 1930s Chicago and puts a spin on the classic Frankenstein story. Peter will start opposite Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley.
At the beginning of June, Karlovy varies international film festival Consulted 11 films that will fight for the main prize in the festival’s Crystal Globe competition. The 12th film, Iran’s independence produced “bid”, remained secret to protect the security of the film’s delegation. At Karlovy varies, director Soheil Beiraghi will present the world premiere of his story about the young singer Seti, who refuses to accept the fact that women in Iran must not perform publicly. Per festival, “In violation of her country’s religious laws, she decides to sing on the street. Her performances quickly gain popularity, and Seti becomes a star for a young generation that no longer wants to be oppressed by the regime.”
When the authorities examined Beiraghi during filming, it was necessary to keep the announcement about the film’s inclusion in the festival’s program until he and his crew members could safely travel from Iran.
