Meanwhile, the top Czech festival’s special jury prize, which comes with a $15,000 check, was awarded to Behrooz Karamizade’s German-Iranian co-production Empty Nets. Its audience award went to Vincent Perez’s The Edge of the Blade, a French film, and a special jury mention was designated for Cyril Aris’ Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano, a German-Lebanese entry.

The jury consisted of Oscar-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson, whose new film Monica screened at the fest out of competition; Tunisian film producer Dora Bouchoucha (Buried Secrets, Foreign Body); Slovenian director Olmo Omerzu (Family Film, Winter Flies); Sundance festival programmer John Nein and Irish actor Barry Ward (The End of the F***ing World).

The second edition of Karlovy Vary’s Proxima competition, which is focused on bold works by young filmmakers and renowned auteurs alike, also revealed its award winners. The Grand Prix, which comes with a $15,000 reward, went to Yoo Ji-young’s South Korean picture Birth. A special jury prize, with $10,000, was awarded to Saurav Rai’s Indian/Nepalese co-production Guras, and a special jury mention was noted for Albert Hospodářský’s Czech-Slovak effort Brutal Heat.

The 57th edition of the Karlovy Vary fest, which has a reputation as Central Europe’s largest cinema party, opened on June 30 with the presentation of a lifetime achievement award to Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe and a festival president’s award to Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander; a spectacular ice-skating number; and concerts by British electronic music band Morcheeba as well as Crowe’s band, Indoor Garden Party.

A new trailer, starring 2021 KVIFF honoree Johnny Depp, was also unveiled.

The fest’s trailers, which are played before screenings, are irreverent and featured big names such as Mel Gibson, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Casey Affleck, Jude Law, Harvey Keitel, Andy Garcia, Miloš Forman and Danny DeVito.