The Non-statutory Awards from the 60th KVIFF Went to Four Films

​The first awards presented on Saturday afternoon at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival were the non-statutory prizes. The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) named Only Beautiful Things to Look At as the favorite in the Crystal Globe Competition and Petty Thieves as the favorite in the Proxima Competition. The Ecumenical Jury Prize went to The Lion at My Back and the Europa Cinemas Label Award was presented to the drama 3 Weeks After.

FIPRESCI AWARD

The International Federation of Film Critics Jury awards two FIPRESCI Prizes: to a film from the Crystal Globe Competition and a film from the Proxima Competition, for works that best promote film art and encourage new and young cinema.

The jury:​ Wellington Almeida, Laura Arias, Shiva Fouladi, Isabel Jacobs, Marita Nyrhinen, Giuseppe Sedia

The FIPRESCI award for the best film in the Crystal Globe Competition

Only Beautiful Things to Look At / Prameň
Directed by: Ivan Ostrochovský`
Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Hungary, 2026

Jury Statement: Ivan Ostrochovský blows the lid off a very touchy topic for bygone Czechoslovakia — the ethical implications of the state-sponsored sterilization campaign of Roma women. Steering clear of both unflexible realism and folklore, Only Beautiful Things to Look At is also a visually alluring nostalgic trip into the Eighties, and most of all, a story of friendship and solidarity among two strong women from different backgrounds.

The FIPRESCI award for the best film in the Proxima Competition

Petty Thieves / Sitni lopovi
Directed by: Mate Ugrin
Croatia, France, Germany, Serbia, 2026

Jury Statement: This impressive first feature finds depth and beauty in lives too often left unseen. Through rich atmosphere, lingering observation and a seductive sense of mystery, the director crafts a quietly universal portrait of a generation caught between economic hardship, fractured human connections, and the search for belonging and dignity. It’s a summer film with a dark twist, one that marks the arrival of an exciting new voice in European cinema.

THE ECUMENICAL JURY AWARD

Since 1994 the Ecumenical Jury has awarded films from the Crystal Globe Competition that display high artistic quality while questioning social, political, ethical, and spiritual values. It promotes directors who emphasize the search for truth, justice, and hope in accordance with Christian Gospels.

The jury: ​Hans-Martin Gutmann, Lukáš Jirsa, Valérie de Marnhac

GRAND PRIZE OF THE ECUMENICAL JURY

The Lion at My Back
Directed by: Tonia Mishiali
Cyprus, Luxembourg, Greece, 2026

Jury Statement: Through dense, realistic imagery that becomes metaphorical at key moments, the film tells the story of eighteen-year-old refugee Mariama and forty-year-old Cypriot Stella, with whom she forms an increasingly close bond. From an ecumenical perspective, The Lion at My Back has a Gospel narrative. Surprisingly, Mariama becomes a Christ figure for Stella and others who, through their own strength alone, cannot find their way out of destructive domination.

EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL AWARD

Since 2003, the Europa Cinemas Label has been awarded to a European film by a jury of Europa Cinemas network exhibitors at five European festivals. It aims to increase the promotion, circulation and exhibition lifespan of winning films. The Europa Cinemas Label awards the best European film among those selected for the Crystal Globe Competition and the Proxima Competition.

The jury: ​Sophie Jansen, Nataša Jurčová Findrová, Grégory Le Perff

3 Weeks After / 3 nedelje posle
Directed by: Miroslav Terzić
Serbia, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Luxembourg, 2026

Jury Statement: It was a unanimous decision to award the Europa Cinemas Label to 3 Weeks After by Miroslav Terzić. As a jury, we had a tough decision in front of us, because all 15 films competing for our award were good in their own way, and we are three different people, each with their own taste, yet this film captivated us right from the first shot and held our attention until the very end. The ensemble cast delivers a remarkably strong and authentic performance. The story portrays the lives of adolescents today through their own eyes, allowing their voices and perspectives to shape the narrative in a genuine and convincing way. At its core, it’s fueled by group dynamics. Miroslav Terzić’s filmmaking is stunning in every aspect of its craft. The film urges us to truly hear young people, be there for them and not look away!