KVIFF Eastern Promises Industry Days 2022 including the Works in Development, First Cut+ and Works in Progress project presentations will take place during the festival in Karlovy Vary, from Sunday, July 3 to Wednesday, July 6.
Events are in English unless stated otherwise

Sunday, July 3

15:00 – 16:00 CET
Transformation: Audiovisual Fund
Carlsbad Plaza – Rockefeller Hall

Helena Bezděk Fraňková, the director of the Czech Film Fund, lays out the plans and expectations for the transformation of the Czech Film Fund into the Audiovisual Fund.
Event in Czech without translation.

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16:00 – 17:00 CET
APA: the Czech Audiovisual Industry in 2021 Review
Carlsbad Plaza – Rockefeller Hall

Interview with members of the Board of the Audiovisual Producers’ Association on how the Czech audiovisual industry fared in 2021 in the areas of film, advertising and commissions, the current situation of the Czech audiovisual market, and the prospects for next year.
Speakers:

• Vratislav Šlajer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, APA, producer at Bionaut
• Pavel Strnad, member of the Board of Directors, APA, producer at Negativ
• Radomír Dočekal, member of the Board of Directors, APA, producer at Milk & Honey Fims

Event in Czech without translation.

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17:30 – 19:00 CET
Producing with and for the Streamers: Insightful Panel with DEADLINE and ACE Producers
Carlsbad Plaza – Rockefeller Hall

With a growing presence in the distribution of films, streaming companies now also have a firm position in production. What does this mean for producers in the region of Central and Eastern Europe? How has the post-pandemic ecosystem in film production changed and what are currently some of the challenges and opportunities for content development and production? With the presence of highly experienced and successful producers who have been working along with the streamers, we’ll discuss how the nature of their work is changing and what the current plans are on the side of the streaming companies. Hosted by journalist Diana Lodderhose (Deadline).

Speakers:

• John Lesher, producer of award-winning films like Birdman with his Le Grisbi Productions company, or Star Trek reboot, There Will Be Blood or No Country For Old Men earlier at Paramount
• Nicolás Celis, producer of award-winning films including Roma, Birds of Passage, The Untamed
• Joanna Szymańska, producer and co-founder at SHIPsBOY, working closely with HBO Europe; Berlinale Talents 2011 alumna
• Filip Bobiňski, Producer and Show-runner, CEO and Co-founder of Dramedy Productions, board member of CEPI (European Association of Independent Producers)

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Monday, July 4

10:00 – 11:00 CET
Toni Erdmann, Quo vadis, Aida?... Has access to European films improved?
KVIFF.TV Park

Access to European films has been affected by the new AVMS directive, but also by the pandemic. Has it improved? How has the pandemic changed the habits of Europeans in watching European films? Is the Czech Republic an exception? Has VOD made European non-national filmography more accessible? Is it enough, or does more need to be done? Experts and MEPs will discuss how the situation in the last two years impacted the availability of European films and whether we can expect a positive vision or unpleasant challenges.

Speakers:

• Ms Martina Dlabajová, Member of the European Parliament
• Mr. Christian Grece, Analyst, European Audiovisual Observatory
• Mr. Vratislav Šlajer, producer, Chair of Audiovisual Producer´s Association
• Mr. Jan Hanzlík, Arts Management, Prague University of Economics and Business
• Ivan Hronec, CEO Film Europe Media Company

Hosted by Pavel Sladký.

In collaboration with LUX Audience Award and Creative Europe Desk CZ – MEDIA. Event will be in English and Czech (interpretation is provided).

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11:00 – 12:30 CET
Works in Development – Feature Launch
Lázně III Cinema

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has partnered closely with the MIDPOINT Institute as well as When East Meets West co-production market and Trieste Film Festival. Together, they will showcase nine projects from Central and Eastern Europe at this year’s edition of KVIFF. These projects have gone through development within the MIDPOINT Feature Launch programme and are ready for co-production. The best project receives the KVIFF & MIDPOINT Development Award of 10,000 EUR.

Interesting for: Producers seeking projects for co-production, funds, co-production markets, production companies.
One-on-one meetings will follow at 2 pm on Tuesday, 5 July

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11:30 – 12:30 CET
The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the International Film Industry
Lázně III Blue Lounge

Cinema is boundless and it can expand your horizons and transcend borders. But how can a military conflict in your partner’s country change your plans? This panel discussion is geared towards resourceful producers who are looking for tools to navigate the elusive world of co-productions. In this roundtable session, experienced producers and international agencies with co-production treaties listen to your questions and discussion points in the context of the Russian War in Ukraine.
Hosted by Ivanna Khitsinska, Odesa IFF.

Speakers:

• Daria Bassel - producer, Moonman, DocudaysUA IFF
• Simone Baumann - producer, German Films
• Uldis Cekulis - producer, VFS Films
• Pavlina Zipkova - Head of Czech Film Commission
• Dagmar Sedláčková - producer, Masterfilm
• Igor Savychenko - producer, Directory Films

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12:30 – 14:00 CET
KVIFF Talents – Industry Presentation
KVIFF.TV Park

The official launch and presentation of KVIFF Talents, a brand-new year-round programme with the goal of identifying talented filmmakers and supporting the creation of audiovisual projects with international ambitions and a high level of originality, be it a feature, short film, web series, podcast, music video, or video game. The very first flight of eleven creators, selected by KVIFF for their high creative potential, will present their projects that are now looking for potential producers, partners and investors.

Interesting for: Producers seeking projects for co-production, investors, funds, co-production markets, production companies.

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14:00 – 17:00 CET
Works in Progress
Lázně III Cinema

Producers and directors of ten selected feature and documentary films from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa will present projects that will officially premiere after KVIFF. The projects are currently in the late production or post-production stage and are looking for additional financing, co-production partners, post-production, international sales and premiere screenings. The most promising projects are awarded by the international jury with service packages and cash prizes that allow them to finish the films. Presented projects are often selected for upcoming festivals like Sundance, Toronto, Venice, Rotterdam or Berlinale.

Interesting for: Sales agents, distributors, festival representatives, post-production co-producers.
One-on-one meetings will follow at 10 am on Tuesday, 5 July

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15:00 – 16:00 CET
APA: Producers' Hall of Fame
KVIFF.TV Park

This year, the Audiovisual Producers' Association opens its Hall of Fame to celebrate independent producers who have significantly contributed to shaping the Czech audiovisual environment after 1989. The first to be inducted into the Producers' Hall of Fame is Jiří Ježek, producer and APA Honorary Member. In this interview, he will share his experience and insights on the very beginnings of the producer profession in Czech cinema.
Event in Czech without translation.

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17:00 – 18:00 CET
Production Sustainability & Climate Content
KVIFF.TV Park

The Earth is our only location – so what are the best filmmaking practices in order to protect our planet? The film industry has a unique power to set trends, motivate and positively influence mainstream audiences towards more sustainable behaviour. This unique potential should be used to its fullest given the current climate crisis. This seminar, created in cooperation between the Audiovisual Producers' Association, MIDPOINT Institute and TV Nova, will offer both “Sustainability in Cinema 101” as well as best practices on how to approach the topic already at the development stage.

Speakers: Michaela Rýgrová (Audiovisual Producers' Association, Greenfilming.cz) and Hana de Goeij, Head of Sustainable Filming & Content, TV Nova.

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18:30 – 19:30 CET
Happy Hour with the Czech Film Fund
Lázně III – Blue Lounge

Informal meeting with the members of the Czech Film Fund. Ask them anything!

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Tuesday, July 5

9:30 – 10:45 CET
Innovative Distribution Hub: Showcase
KVIFF.TV Park

The Film Distribution Innovation Hub will be a dedicated space where various innovative tools with a clear and potential application for independent film distributors will be put together and presented by the representatives of tech companies to provide real answers and support to distributors’ work. The public showcase will include different innovative digital tools which all respond to various tasks and activities handled by independent film distributors for the release and promotion of European and international titles. Hosted by British journalist Michael Gubbins.

Speakers:

• Vít Krajíček, Artinii (CZ)
• Lorena Amaral, Cascade8 NFT Lab (France)
• Sami Arpa, Largo.AI (Switzerland)
• Oliver Fegan, Usheru (Ireland)
• Laura Olin, Zoan (Finland)

In collaboration with Creative Europe Desk CZ – MEDIA.

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11:00 – 12:30 CET
Odesa International Film Festival Works in Progress
Lázně III Cinema

The unprecedented military assault on Ukraine has been accompanied by fundamental limitations to the country’s cultural life. The Karlovy Vary festival expresses its full support for Ukrainian filmmakers and festival organizers, and will thus host the Works-in-Progress programme of the 13th Odesa International Film Festival, which cannot be held there because of the war. Eight full-length film projects in the final stage of shooting or in post-production produced in Ukraine or in co-production with Ukraine, selected by the OIFF selection committee, will be presented by their creators. The best project will receive a prize from Barrandov Studio in the amount of 10,000 euros.

Interesting for: Sales agents, distributors, festival representatives, post-production co-producers.
One-on-one meetings will follow at 2 pm on Tuesday, 5 July

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11:30 – 13:00 CET
Positioning for the International Market – Integrating Marketing & PR From Pre-production Through Launch
Hotel Thermal Cinema A

Michael Arnon, partner at the Berlin-based PR & Marketing agency WOLF Consultants, discusses how producers and filmmakers can approach marketing & PR while integrating it into the filmmaking and storytelling process. Through concrete, recent case studies, this session covers the main objectives of PR & marketing strategies at different stages of production, optimizing the creation and use of key materials and assets, positioning a project for the international market and effectively approaching and working with the press. Presented by the First Cut+ programme.

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13:00 – 13:45 CET
Czech Projects in Production
Hotel Thermal Cinema A

Author's presentations of three notable Czech film projects in different stages of production that are looking for international co-producers, sales agents and distributors: War with Salamanders (d. Aurel Klimt), Forest Killer (d. Radim Špaček) and Ice Down (d. Jan Hřebejk).
Interesting for: Producers seeking projects for co-production, funds, co-production markets, sales agents, distributors, festival representatives.

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14:00 – 16:00 CET
First Cut+ Works in Progress
Lázně III Cinema

First Cut+ is a programme created for boosting the competitiveness and marketability of feature films that previously participated in First Cut Lab. The programme was launched in 2020 through close cooperation with two dynamic & well-established film industry platforms: Trieste’s When East Meets West and Karlovy Vary IFF’s Eastern Promises Industry Days. Each year, it promotes a portfolio of 16 fiction feature films at the stage of post-production – eight of them are now presented in Karlovy Vary. The most promising projects are awarded by the international jury with service packages and cash prizes that allow them to finish the films.

Interesting for: Sales agents, distributors, festival representatives, post-production co-producers.
One-on-one meetings will follow at 4 pm on Tuesday, 5 July.

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15:00 – 16:00 CET
ACTORSMAP: Connecting Those Who Act With Those Who Need Actors
KVIFF.TV Park

The founders of the first Czech-Slovak actor database ACTORSMAP will present their handy online platform. This service allows actors to present themselves in a way that is streamlined and easy to keep up to date while being easily searchable and accessible for filmmakers, film and theatre directors, casting directors and agencies looking for talent. The presentation will be followed by a discussion with actors, agents, casting directors and filmmakers dedicated to the topics of actors' self-presentation and the current and future principles of looking for actors for film and other media.

The database will be introduced by Kateřina Oujezdská and Barbora Fabiánová (OF AGENCY), Ladislav Krapek (LaK Produkce), Petra Svarinská (Reset Actors) and Maya Kvetny (Myrnyxtyrnyx); in conversation with actresses Denisa Barešová, Klára Melíšková, Martha Issová and director and producer David Ondříček.
Event in Czech without translation.

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16:00 – 17:00 CET
Staying Safe and Sane in the Film Industry
Hotel Thermal Cinema C

In this passionate industry of ours, HR is often non-existent, contracts are lacking, and overtime is considered the norm. In a world where stress is seen as a natural part of life, how do we protect ourselves against burnout? What are the warning signs around us and within us? In an industry which is largely relying on freelance workforce, how can we all help secure a sustainable and healthy work environment and ethics? What can we do as individuals and as leaders?
Engage with a panel of prolific film professionals who will approach the subject constructively, leaving us with concrete takeaways that aim to strengthen our awareness of our colleagues', employees' and even our own mental health. Hosted by Louise Højgaard Johansen, festival programmer.

Speakers:

• Dennis Ruh, Director of European Film Market, Berlinale
• Katarina Schapiro, Leadership Coach
• Katarina Tomkova, Producer, Kaleidoskope

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Wednesday, July 6

11:00 – 12:00 CET
Czech Film Viewers in the Covid-19 Era
Hotel Thermal Cinema A

The pandemic has re-shaped the world as we know it – including viewers' film-watching habits. Just how deeply has the contemporary Czech film fan’s typology, behaviour, and perspectives on the cinematic experience changed? The Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE) has asked these pressing questions during focus groups, questionnaires and in-depth interviews carried out as part of their extensive research commissioned by the Czech Film Fund and supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. The research findings point to an important paradigm shift that the Czech film industry should take into account and adapt to. Presented by Petr Szczepanik, Jan Hanzlík a Karel Čada (VŠE).
This event is in Czech without translation.

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