KVIFF Central Stage

KVIFF Central Stage is a new initiative by Film Industry of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, in cooperation with promotional agencies across Central Europe.

Focus of the section

This event is designed to promote established filmmakers from Central Europe, spotlight upcoming fiction film projects with significant financing in place, and foster co-production opportunities within the region.

By bringing together filmmakers, producers, distributors, and industry professionals, KVIFF Central Stage aims to elevate Central European cinema and strengthen regional collaboration.

Submissions for KVIFF Central Stage 2025 are now closed.

Types of projects:

Third or subsequent feature films:
By established filmmakers with a proven track record.
Audience-Attractive Projects:
Films with strong festival potential and broad appeal.
Diverse Genres:
A mix of arthouse, mainstream, and innovative storytelling.
Blending Arthouse and Mainstream:
Projects that bridge artistic and commercial cinema.

Presentations:

Filmmakers will present each project via interview with an industry moderator and a short visual introduction. Following the presentations, we assist interested visitors of the KVIFF Central Stage programme to set up one-on-one meetings with the presenters to get more information about their projects.

Projects looking for co-production, post-production, sales, distribution, or additional financing.

1-2 projects coming from the following countries will be presented: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine.

Do you want to participate in KVIFF Central Stage 2025?

Producers and directors interested in having their film included in KVIFF Central Stage 2025 must apply by no later than May 2, 2025.

Your film must meet the following requirements:

the film must be fiction

the film must be in late stage of development, in all stages of production or post-production and must have a planned premiere after the Karlovy Vary IFF

the runtime must be over 60 minutes

To entry your project, please fill the submission form and attach these materials:

a film treatment (pdf, approx. 3-7 pages)

a director’s note (pdf, approx. 1-2 pages)

an optional document (pdf, e.g. mood board/pitch deck)

an optional link (YouTube/Vimeo) to your showreel/trailers to previous films

an optional link (YouTube/Vimeo) to a continuous rough-cut footage of max. 15 minutes from the submitted project if it is in post-production stage

Excerpts provided with English subtitles insert as a link (YouTube/Vimeo) straight into the Submission form.

Please submit your project as soon as possible. The KVIFF selection committee will announce its decision in the second half of May. If your film is selected, you will receive detailed information about the presentation and about your stay at the festival.