Time, Space and Humanity. Proxima Competition Continues the Fragile Debate

Today’s trio of premieres in the Proxima Competition explores shifts in time and the search for identity. Both personal and global.

All three films will have their world premieres at the Karlovy Vary Theatre. The first, Action Item, screens at 4 p.m. Director Paula Ďurinová returns to the Proxima Competition a year after her debut Lapilli, this time with the increasingly urgent theme of burnout. Her film is a bold and intimate collage of fates, woven from archival footage, voice messages and recordings of group sessions. It offers a quiet pause to reconsider the real values in life. Set against the backdrop of the Berlin, where the director lives, it moves from personal stories to collective sharing and broad contexts.

The Anatomy of the Horses, by Peruvian filmmaker Daniel Vidal Toche, explores the soul of a nation that repeatedly fails in its pursuit of change and revolution. Linking the events of the 18th and 21st centuries, it dissolves the boundaries of time and space. A piece of art combining sweeping landscapes with intellectual dialogue and rich symbolism forms an ambiguous cinematic fresco where the age-old struggle against exploitation and oppression unfolds. Despite its layered shape, the film remains grounded in empathy and well-drawn characters. It screens from 6 p.m.

Debut filmmaker Manoël Dupont explores the evolving relationship between two men brought together by an unconventional shared journey to receive hair transplants in Istanbul. Delicately shot, Before / After oscillates between closeness and distance, capturing moments of vulnerability, the beauty of imperfection and queer identity against the backdrop of 2003 Turkish elections. Despite the gentle pace, the film carries a sense of humour. There was no pre-written script – Dupont relied on conceptual improvisation and spontaneity, which showcases his directorial sensitivity. The screening of this elemental debut starts at 9 p.m.