From Karlovy Vary to Cinemas Across the Country: Which Festival Films are Hitting the Big Ccreen?

Several standout films from this year’s KVIFF are heading into nationwide theatrical distribution. You can already catch the competition title Broken Voices in cinemas. Starting on 14 July, it will be joined by The Czech Film Project, a playful investigation into the identity of Czech cinema.

Following its KVIFF premiere, the musical period film Gloria!, which screened at the festival last year, will arrive in Czech cinemas on 17 July. On the same day, audiences can also enjoy the newly restored version of the Czech classic Ecce Homo Homolka.

On 24 July, two more highly anticipated titles will hit theatres: Perla, a striking meditation on motherhood set during the grey days of normalisation, and Dužan Duong’s energetic debut Summer School, 2001, which explores the lives of Vietnam’s first immigrant generation in our country.

A beautifully shot reflection on the end of World War II, Vermiglio, arrives on 31 July. Just a week later, on 7 August, audiences can look forward to the biopic of Slovak music legend Duchoň, and the charming debut comedy Sorry, Baby by American comedian Eva Victor.

The romantic comedy Materialists and the relationship dramedy Splitsville, both presented in Karlovy Vary by Dakota Johnson, are set to premiere on 14 August and 21 August, respectively. Czech road movie Caravan will close out the summer holidays on 28 August.

Looking into the autumn, Vojtěch Strakatý’s lyrical feature The Other Side of Summer arrives in cinemas on 11 September, followed by Promise, I’ll Be Fine, a poignant story set in a remote Slovak village, on 2 October.

From 9 October, the intimate drama Deaf offers a powerful sensory journey into the lives of the hearing-impaired. A week later, on 16 October, Little Trouble Girls brings natural lyricism and delicate emotion to the screen. Rounding out the month is Radu Jude’s bold, debate-provoking Kontinental '25, which won the Best Screenplay Award at this year’s Berlinale.

On 6 November, audiences can look forward to the beautifully crafted stop-motion film Tales from the Magic Garden and the gripping courtroom drama We Believe You. The following week, on 20 November, they will be joined by the vibrant animated feature Lesbian Space Princess. 

December brings Dreams, this year’s Berlinale winner, to cinemas from 4 December. And to kick off the new year, Jafar Panahi’s provocative Cannes-winning film It Was Just an Accident premieres on 8 January.

More festival favourites are heading to Czech cinemas soon, with release dates to be announced. These include: the audience darling Sirât, the macabre fable Sound of Falling, the meditative The Love That Remains, the legal thriller Two Prosecutors, the raw, unflinching look at motherhood If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, and Joachim Trier’s moving relationship drama Sentimental Value.