Regular meetings have been organized with directors, actors, and other filmmakers who present their work as part of the festival program. During more than ten years of KVIFF Talks existence large number of filmmakers have shared their experiences with the audience; such as directors Todd Solondz, Michel Gondry, William Friedkin or Charlie Kaufman or actresses and actors such as Trine Dyrholm, Patricia Clarkson, Harvey Keitel, John Malkovich, Cassey Affleck and Michael Shannon or film editor Thelma Schoonmaker and music composer James Newton Howard.
Unless indicated otherwise, the meetings take place in English, are not translated, and do not require a ticket or accreditation. KVIFF Talks from past editions of the festival could be found on KVIFF.TV.
KVIFF.TV Park, 04:30 PM - 05:00 PM
During the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, Wim Wenders gradually invited renowned filmmakers to his hotel room and filmed their responses to the question of how they see the future of cinema. Inspired by his approach, producers Marek Novák and Mikuláš Novotný, with co-production support from the Karlovy Vary festival, created a documentary film during the 58th edition of KVIFF in a room at the Hotel Thermal. In their film, they posed the question "What is Czech about Czech cinema?" to thirty domestic directors and filmmakers working in the Czech Republic. Both authors will discuss their film with moderator Saša Michailidis.
Please note that this talk will be held in Czech only, with no translation provided.
Congress Hall, 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Join us for a discussion with American actor Peter Sarsgaard, who will receive the KVIFF President’s Award at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Sarsgaard, winner of the Volpi Cup from Venice and multiple nominee for both the Golden Globe and Emmy Awards, ranks among the most captivating actors of today. He has gained international acclaim for his performances in films such as Shattered Glass, Kinsey, Jarhead, Love & Other Drugs, and The Batman. In recent years, he has impressed audiences and critics alike with his role in Memory, which earned him the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival, as well as with his work in the acclaimed series Presumed Innocent, based on the novel by Scott Turow. In addition to his film and television career, Sarsgaard regularly performs on stage, having appeared in adaptations of Chekhov’s The Seagull, Three Sisters, and Uncle Vanya, as well as in the title role of Hamlet.
To honor his visit, the festival will also present a special screening of Shattered Glass.
The discussion will be moderated by film journalist Marta Balaga from Variety, who will explore with him his approach to acting, work on major roles, and experiences in theatre.
KVIFF.TV Park, 04:00 PM - 04:45 PM
Director and producer Peter Bebjak brings his latest film Duchoň to Karlovy Vary this year, premiering in the Special Screenings section. The film traces the life story of iconic Slovak singer Karol Duchoň, who captivated audiences from the 1960s through the 1980s, while offering a gently ironic look back at the normalization era. Bebjak will reveal the story behind the film's creation in a discussion moderated by Veronika Bednářová.
Please note that this talk will be held in Czech only, with no translation provided.
Vodafone Lounge, Hotel Thermal, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Returning to the festival this year is Michel Franco, one of the most significant voices in contemporary Mexican cinema. The acclaimed director, screenwriter and producer, born in Mexico City, has earned his place at prestigious festivals worldwide through his distinctive filmography. Last year, he presented his film Memory at the festival, which premiered in the main competition at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, where it won the Volpi Cup for Best Male Performance for Peter Sarsgaard. This year, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will present his latest film Dreams, a provocative love story starring Jessica Chastain. Franco is the creator of celebrated films including Sundown (2021), New Order (2020, Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, Venice), April's Daughter (2017, Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize, Cannes), Chronic (2015, Best Screenplay, Cannes), and After Lucía (2012, Un Certain Regard Award, Cannes). Through his production company Teorema, he has also produced successful films by other filmmakers, including Lorenzo Vigas's Golden Lion-winning From Afar. The conversation with Michel Franco will be moderated by film critic Pavel Sladký.
KVIFF.TV Park, 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM
This year's Special Screenings section will showcase two striking debuts from emerging filmmakers - Dužan Duong's long-awaited first Czech feature Summer School, 2001, a Vietnamese-Czech film, alongside Katarína Gramatová's Promise, I'll Be Fine, which captures the often harsh realities of contemporary Slovakia through powerful performances by non-professional actors. Both Duong and Gramatová will discuss their journey to feature-length filmmaking in conversation with Veronika Bednářová.
Please note that this talk will be held in Czech only, with no translation provided.
Kaiserbad, 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
A discussion accompanying the world premiere of the cinematic cut of the globally successful video game Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Cinematic Cut from Warhorse Studios will focus primarily on the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance II itself, as well as the broader context of the Czech gaming industry. The conversation will address the background of the game's development and production, the reasons for creating a cinematic cut for the big screen, and also the current state of game design, its state support, and other possibilities for its development in the Czech Republic. The discussion will feature Martin Frývaldský, CEO of Warhorse Studios, Daniel Vávra, a Czech screenwriter, director and video game designer who has been working in the gaming industry for more than two decades and gained fame as the main screenwriter of the legendary Czech game Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, Petr Pekař, originally an editor and director who has spent the last ten years in the video game industry as a creator of cutscenes and has worked as Cinematic Director at Warhorse Studios since 2018, and Pavel Barák, Chairman of the Czech Game Developers Association. The discussion will be moderated by Saša Michailidis. The debate will be conducted in Czech with English translation.
KVIFF.TV Park, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
The road movie drama Caravan, directed by Zuzana Kirchnerová, marked the first Czech film in over thirty years to be screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, where it was presented in the Un Certain Regard section. At the Karlovy Vary festival, this intimate film — exploring themes of the body and the soul — is shown in the Special Screenings section.
Director Zuzana Kirchnerová will discuss her feature debut accompanied by producer Dagmar Sedláčková and actress Juliána Brutovská. The discussion will be moderated by Saša Michailidis.
Please note that this talk will be held in Czech only, with no translation provided.
Congress Hall, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, one of Europe’s most distinguished film and stage performers, will receive the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema at this year’s 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Skarsgård has delivered memorable performances in dozens of European and Hollywood films, working with directors such as Lars von Trier (Breaking the Waves, Melancholia, Nymphomaniac), Denis Villeneuve (Dune), David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and Miloš Forman (The People vs. Larry Flynt). He is also well known to audiences from global hits like Mamma Mia! and Marvel blockbusters.
As part of its tribute to Stellan Skarsgård, the festival will screen his latest film, A Different Man (2024), directed by Joachim Trier, which had its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Stellan Skarsgård will discuss his rich film and theatre career and his approach to acting in a live recording of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast with Scott Feinberg, one of Hollywood’s leading film journalists.
First-hand brews throughout the year.
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