What’s new at the festival?

For regular and first-time visitors, we’ve put together a summary of everything that’s new at the festival this year.

A new website

You will almost certainly have noticed that our website recently got a makeover. We are sure you’ll appreciate the more user-friendly and easy-to-navigate design. 

New Festival Shop

The existing outlets with festival merch – in front of the Hotel Thermal and on the hotel’s ground floor – have been joined by a shop located in the former Municipal Savings Bank (Sparkasse) on Divadelní náměstí. It is open every day from 10am to 8pm.

Specialized Bikes – New rental station

In addition to the three traditional rental stations at the Hotel Thermal, the Grandhotel Pupp, and the tent city, this year we’ve added a fourth bicycle rental station next to the footbridge on Divadelní náměstí. More information here.

New Child-minding service

New this year, professional child-minding services are provided by Bestnanny. In view of limited availability, please reserve dates and times as soon as possible.

Crystal Globe – new size and weight

After twenty-four years, the festival award from the Moser glassworks is changing in size. The Globes have shed 1.8 kg in weight, are 7.5 cm shorter, and the crystal ball is 2.4 cm smaller in diameter. The new statuette is 34.5 cm tall and weighs 2.6 kg. 

New official non-profit partner – The Jakub Voráček Foundation

The Jakub Voráček Foundation has helped people with multiple sclerosis for more than nine years. You’ll find the foundation’s tent, “Kluka Puka,” on Divadelní náměstí, where it is open every day from 10am. You can support the foundation by purchasing a gift item or even by engaging in exercise – by renting a Specialized bicycle. 

Official coffee of the festival

The festival’s official coffee is Caffè Vergnano. You’ll find the Caffè Vergnano Lounge, open daily from 9am to 9pm, near KVIFF.TV Park. Here, you can get coffees and other drinks, or attend coffee workshops and contests.

A new drink for 58th KVIFF

As in past years, Campari has prepared a special drink, the Negroni KVIFF 58 – an entirely new mix made especially for the festival’s 58th edition. Get it at the Campari Lounge in KVIFF.TV Park.

New Café and Bar

This year, Dvořák Park will be graced not by stalls but by a new café from Rodinné domy Rýmařov, operated by festival partner Progresus. 

The Public Interest Bar moves from the Imperial Baths to the Hotel Tosca.

The world's first virtual tour of nuclear power plants

Experience the ReakTour by the ČEZ Group, the world's first virtual tour of nuclear power plants! Every day from 10 am to 10 pm in the Municipal Savings Bank building, we'll take you to Temelín and Dukovany. Just put on the special virtual reality goggles that will transport you all the way to the nuclear reactor. Enjoy a unique experience from the most secure areas in the country that an ordinary mortal could never access. Find more information at www.reaktour.cz.

New accreditation location

This year, we have added two new forms of accreditation, Press Light and Industry Light, which offer cheaper forms of accreditation (with fewer benefits) for journalists and filmmakers. Also new this year, we have added an industry accreditation location and transportation counter on Carlsbad Plaza next to the Imperial Baths.

Ivan Trojan in “Frogs”

On the occasion of receiving a KVIFF President’s Award, actor Ivan Trojan will appear in a special performance of Frogs, to be held at the Karlovy Vary Municipal Theatre on 3 July at 10pm. Playwright Petr Zelenka (who will also direct) wrote the play for Trojan’s sixtieth birthday. You can meet Ivan Trojan in person at a KVIFF Talk in KVIFF.TV Park on 4 July at 2:30pm. 

Stars by Tono Stano

The special exhibition Stars by Tono Stano presents well-known as well as previously unseen photographs of important guests of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The exhibition can be seen on the first floor of the former Municipal Savings Bank starting 30 June 2024, daily from 10am to 8pm. Admission is free for holders of festival accreditation or Festival Passes. 

New at KVIFF.TV Park

​Věra Míšková presents her show On the Red Carpet. The renowned film journalist is joined by various colleagues to discuss what the festival programme has to offer over the coming days.

This year, Čestmír Strakatý’s interview programme featuring festival guests has a new name – Strakatý Vary. 

On Wednesday, 3 July at 10pm, the band Tata Bojs plays at KVIFF.TV Park. Also that day, at 2pm, you can see Čestmír Strakatý interview band members Milan Cais and Mardoša in relation to the documentary film tatabojs.doc, which is being shown in the festival’s Special Screenings section.

New at KVIFF.TV Park, audiences can watch Reflex magazine’s pop culture podcast Poprask, in which Šimon Holý and Hana Trojánková Biriczová discuss films, series, and reality shows, as well as various phenomena past and present.