KVIFF Talks are regular meetings organized with directors, actors, and other filmmakers who present their work as part of the festival program.
This year, KVIFF Talks will primarily take place in a new venue. The Festival Lounge is located on the ground floor of the Thermal Hotel and can be accessed through the hotel café situated behind the reception desk. KVIFF Talks are presented in partnership with Universal Production Services.
As usual, admission is free and no ticket or accreditation is required. Unless stated otherwise, all KVIFF Talks are held in English without interpretation.
Partner of KVIFF Talks
During more than ten years of KVIFF Talks existence large number of filmmakers have shared their experiences with the audience; such as directors Todd Solondz, Michel Gondry, William Friedkin or Charlie Kaufman or actresses and actors such as Trine Dyrholm, Patricia Clarkson, Harvey Keitel, John Malkovich, Cassey Affleck and Michael Shannon or film editor Thelma Schoonmaker and music composer James Newton Howard.
KVIFF Talks from past editions of the festival could be found on KVIFF.TV.
Festival Lounge, 05:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Jesse Eisenberg has established himself not only as an actor, but also as a screenwriter, director, producer, and playwright. His portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network earned him Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe nominations. He received his second Academy Award nomination for the screenplay of A Real Pain, which also won him the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay. Audiences know him from films such as The Squid and the Whale, Zombieland, Now You See Me, The Double, and Café Society, while his work as a filmmaker has confirmed his distinctive voice as a writer and director.
At the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Jesse Eisenberg will receive the KVIFF President's Award. The festival will also present The Double, directed by Richard Ayoade, in which Eisenberg delivers a remarkable dual performance. As part of KVIFF Talks, audiences will have the opportunity to meet him in person and gain insight into both his acting and filmmaking career. The discussion will explore his work in front of and behind the camera, his experiences as a writer and director, and the balance between large-scale productions and deeply personal projects.
The discussion will be moderated by film journalist Pavel Sladký.
Festival Lounge, 05:00 PM - 06:15 PM
Robert Richardson is one of the most influential cinematographers in contemporary world cinema. A three-time Academy Award winner and longtime collaborator of directors Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese, and Quentin Tarantino, he has helped shape some of the most iconic films of the past four decades, including Platoon, Natural Born Killers, The Aviator, Shutter Island, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Inglourious Basterds, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
At this year’s festival, Richardson will also present Robert Richardson: The White Devil, a documentary by cinematographer and director Jana Hojdová that offers both a personal and professional portrait of this extraordinary artist. Following the film’s premiere screening, audiences will have the opportunity to meet Richardson in person during a moderated discussion.
Richardson will reflect on his remarkable career in a live recording of Awards Chatter, The Hollywood Reporter’s acclaimed podcast, hosted by Scott Feinberg, one of Hollywood’s leading film journalists.
KVIFF.TV Park, 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
This year, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Czech and Slovak Cinema will be presented to Slovak actress, diplomat, and prominent public figure Magda Vášáryová. Audiences continue to associate her with unforgettable performances in films such as Marketa Lazarová, Cutting It Short, and All My Good Countrymen, yet her remarkable career has extended far beyond the world of cinema.
Festival visitors will also have the opportunity to meet Magda Vášáryová in person during a moderated discussion at KVIFF TV Park. The conversation will look back on her extraordinary acting career, her collaborations with some of the leading filmmakers of Czechoslovak cinema, and her work in diplomacy and public life.
The uniqueness of the event will be further enhanced by the participation of her daughter, screenwriter and author Hana Lasicová, who will bring a personal perspective to the discussion and offer unique insights into her mother's life and legacy.
The discussion will be moderated by journalist Veronika Bednářová.
Please note that the discussion will be held in Czech only, without interpretation.
Festival Lounge, 04:30 PM - 05:30 PM
Juliette Binoche has been one of the defining faces of European cinema since the beginning of her career, while effortlessly moving between auteur filmmaking and mainstream productions. She has collaborated with some of the world's most acclaimed directors, including Leos Carax, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Anthony Minghella, Michael Haneke, Abbas Kiarostami, and Olivier Assayas, while continually embracing new artistic challenges. Winner of an Academy Award, a BAFTA, a European Film Award, and numerous other prestigious honours, she has delivered unforgettable performances in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Three Colours: Blue, The English Patient, Chocolat, Certified Copy, and Clouds of Sils Maria.
At this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Juliette Binoche will receive the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. She will also attend the festival in her capacity as President of the European Film Academy. The moderated discussion will explore not only her work as an actress and her collaborations with some of the world's leading filmmakers, but also the current state of European cinema.
The discussion will be moderated by Variety journalist Marta Balaga.
Festival Lounge, 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Debbie McWilliams is one of the film industry’s most respected casting directors. Since beginning her career in 1972, she has worked on more than 100 feature films and television productions and is best known for casting the last fourteen James Bond films, helping to discover and shape some of the most memorable screen performances of the past decades.
A founding member of the International Casting Directors Association, McWilliams has played a key role in strengthening the international casting community throughout her career. She is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the European Film Academy.
At this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, McWilliams will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Casting Directors Association in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the art and craft of casting. Audiences will have the opportunity to meet McWilliams in person during a moderated discussion exploring her remarkable career, her approach to discovering talent, and her experiences working on some of the most iconic films of recent decades.
The conversation will be moderated by Leo Barraclough, Senior Editor at Variety.
Festival Lounge, 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
For more than three decades, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon have been one of the most respected creative partnerships in American film and television. Emmy and Golden Globe winner Kyra Sedgwick has built a distinguished career as an actress, director and producer, while Kevin Bacon is celebrated for his performances in films including Footloose, Apollo 13, Mystic River and MaXXXine. They will be joined by their son Travis Bacon, a musician, composer and actor.
In a conversation moderated by Marta Balaga of Variety, they will present their new collaboration, Family Movie, a project involving the whole family, and offer a behind-the-scenes look at working together across generations. The discussion will also explore their long-standing creative partnership, their experiences in front of and behind the camera, and the changing landscape of contemporary American filmmaking.
First-hand brews throughout the year.
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