Mark Cousins' A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things wins the Crystal Globe at Karlovy Vary
- The Norwegian dramedy Loveable has scooped a total of five prizes, while the festival ceremony spotlighted a trio of emerging domestic talents
The 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF, see the news) has concluded with its traditional awards ceremony. This year's event marked the 30th anniversary of Jiří Bartoška's presidency. The top prize in the Crystal Globe Competition was awarded to British director-producer Mark Cousins for his documentary A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things [+see also:
film review
interview: Mark Cousins
film profile], which explores the life and work of 20th-century British painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. Norwegian actress Helga Guren received the Best Actress Award for her role in Lilja Ingolfsdottir's relationship dramedy Loveable [+see also:
film review
interview: Lilja Ingolfsdottir
film profile] for her portrayal of Maria, an anger-prone woman in her forties grappling with personal issues as her second husband considers ending their relationship. Loveable, which secured distribution in multiple territories early on in the festival, became this year’s juries’ darling, as the film won three more awards in addition to Best Actress and the Special Jury Prize: the Grand Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, the Europa Cinemas Label and the FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Crystal Globe Competition.
The top prize in the Proxima Competition was awarded to Zhengfan Yang for Stranger [+see also:
film review
interview: Zhengfan Yang
film profile], a film comprising seven vignettes set in hotel rooms. Each segment is shot in a single, long take, seamlessly blending humour, poignancy and meditative moments to offer brief insights into the lives of the transient inhabitants. Peruvian director Paolo Tizón also garnered recognition for his documentary Night Has Come [+see also:
film review
interview: Paolo Tizón
film profile], which provides an immersive and impressionistic portrayal of Peruvian special forces cadets training for conflict in the VRAEM region. The film captures their gruelling boot-camp experiences, offering a visceral glimpse into the intense preparation required for such a demanding role. Tizón took home the Special Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Proxima Competition.
However, the 58th edition of the KVIFF also spotlighted emerging domestic talents. Jiří Mádl's crowd-pleasing period thriller about the Prague Spring, focusing on the employees of Czechoslovak Radio protecting freedom until the arrival of the Warsaw Pact army, Waves [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jiří Mádl
film profile], pocketed the Audience Award. Newcomer Adam Martinec introduced his debut film, Our Lovely Pig Slaughter [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adam Martinec
film profile], in the main competition and earned a Special Jury Mention. Similarly, Slovak-born, Czech-based director Martin Pavol Repka received the same commendation for his intimate observational debut, March to May [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Martin Pavol Repka
film profile], in the Proxima Competition.
In total, the festival organised 453 screenings of 109 feature-length fiction films, 27 documentary features and 41 short films. This diverse array of movies encompassed 33 world premieres, eight international debuts and three European premieres taking place in the picturesque Czech spa town.
The 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is slated for 4-12 July 2025.
The winners of the industry awards within KVIFF Eastern Promises can be found here.
Here is the full list of award winners:
Crystal Globe Competition
Grand Prix – Crystal Globe
A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things [+see also:
film review
interview: Mark Cousins
film profile] - Mark Cousins (UK)
Special Jury Prize
Loveable [+see also:
film review
interview: Lilja Ingolfsdottir
film profile] - Lilja Ingolfsdottir (Norway)
Best Director
Nelicia Low – Pierce [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nelicia Low
film profile] (Singapore/Taiwan/Poland)
Best Actress
Helga Guren - Loveable
Best Actor (ex-aequo)
Ton Kas, Guido Pollemans - Three Days of Fish [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Peter Hoogendoorn
film profile] (Netherlands/Belgium)
Special Jury Mention
Xoftex [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Noaz Deshe
film profile] - Noaz Deshe (Germany/France)
Our Lovely Pig Slaughter [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adam Martinec
film profile] - Adam Martinec (Czech Republic/Slovakia)
Proxima Competition
Grand Prix
Stranger [+see also:
film review
interview: Zhengfan Yang
film profile] - Zhengfan Yang (USA/China/Netherlands/Norway/France)
Special Jury Prize
Night Has Come [+see also:
film review
interview: Paolo Tizón
film profile] - Paolo Tizón (Peru/Spain/Mexico)
Special Jury Mention
March to May [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Martin Pavol Repka
film profile] - Martin Pavol Repka (Czech Republic)
Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema
Ivan Trojan
Festival President’s Award
Viggo Mortensen
Daniel Brühl
Clive Owen
Non-statutory awards
Právo Audience Award
Waves [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jiří Mádl
film profile] - Jiří Mádl (Czech Republic/Slovakia)
Grand Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Loveable - Lilja Ingolfsdottir
Commendation of the Ecumenical Jury
Panopticon [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: George Sikharulidze
film profile] - George Sikharulidze (Georgia/France/Italy/Romania)
Europa Cinemas Label
Loveable - Lilja Ingolfsdottir
FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Crystal Globe Competition
Loveable - Lilja Ingolfsdottir
FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Proxima Competition
Night Has Come - Paolo Tizón
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