The 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival opened on 4 July 2025, in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic with a film by Milan Kuchynka and Jakub Jurásek, We've Got to Frame It!, a tribute to Jiří Bartoška, the late president of the festival. 'Midnight Screenings' section from this year have a new name "Afterhours" under revamped programme. On 3 June, the festival revealed 11 films selected for its main Crystal Globe Competition, including nine world premieres and two international premieres. On 20 June, the festival revealed its complete line-up for the 59th edition, expanding upon the previously announced competition sections. The festival paid tribute to 1940s American film star and pioneering method actor John Garfield, while presenting its prestigious President's Award to Czech film editor Jiří Brožek for his outstanding contribution to Czech cinema. Vicky Krieps, Peter Sarsgaard, and Dakota Johnson were also honored with the KVIFF President's Award for their achievements in films. The special feature of this edition was the world premiere on 9 July of a cinematic cut of Warhorse Studios’ video game – Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Cinematic Cut, directed by Daniel Vávra and Petr Pekař, in Special Screenings section. The festival wrapped up after showcasing 175 films across 465 screenings. The lineup featured 108 fiction features, 23 documentaries, and 44 short films. Out of these, 36 had their world premiere, while five debuted internationally and another five had their first screening in Europe. The festival concluded on 12 July with midnight film screenings and the presentation of awards in both non-statutory and main competition categories. Better Go Mad in the Wild, a Czech-Slovak documentary directed by Miro Remo, received the Crystal Globe, while Sand City, a Bangladeshi drama by Mahde Hasan, was awarded the PROXIMA Grand Prix. == Events == === Opening ceremony === The festival's opening ceremony was held on July 4 in the Grand Hall of the Thermal Hotel. It was streamed live on KVIFF.TV. This year, the platform also streamed the opening film We Gotta Frame It!, as a tribute to Jiří Bartoška by Milan Kuchynka and Jakub Jurásek. Vicky Krieps and Peter Sarsgaard were presented with KVIFF President's Award. === Surprise Karlovy Vary Award to Michael Douglas === After presenting a restored screening of Miloš Forman’s 1975 American psychological comedy-drama film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the co-producer Michael Douglas was surprised with a modern Crystal Globe statuette by the festival executive director Kryštof Mucha, replacing the earlier, awkward-to-hold version he had originally received in 1998 for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema. === Closing ceremony === The festival closed by midnight screenings of the following films: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, by Tobe Hooper, 1974 cult horror classic. Dangerous Animals, by Sean Byrne, a 2025 Australian film. Shoah, 1985 French documentary film, over nine hours long by Claude Lanzmann. Later the winners of the non-statutory jury awards were announced. All broadcast live was available on ČT1, with red carpet arrivals on KVIFF.TV. Before announcement of the winners in the main competition categories, the Crystal Globes was presented to Jiří Brožek, and the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema was awarded to the actor Stellan Skarsgård. == Juries == === Crystal Globe Competition === Nicolás Celis, a Mexican film producer. Babak Jalali, an Iranian–British film director and producer Jessica Kiang, film critic and Berlinale selector Jiří Mádl, a Czech film actor, director and screenwriter Tuva Novotny, a Swedish actress and director === Proxima Competition jury === Yulia Evina Bhara, an Indonesian film and theatre producer Noaz Deshe, Berlin-based, Romanian film director Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias, Dominican filmmaker Jakub Felcman, Czech screenwriter Marissa Frobes, Creative Artists Agency, agent == Official selection == Source: The festival has following sections: Crystal Globe Proxima Competition Special Screenings Horizons Imagina Future Frames: Generation Next of European Cinema === Crystal Globe === Highlighted title and double-dagger (‡) indicates Crystal Globe winner. Highlighted title and double-dagger (‡) indicates Special Jury Prize winner. Eleven of the twelve titles in the Crystal Globe Competition have been announced. The remaining film, from Iran, was revealed on 25 June to ensure the safety of its creators. The name of the 12th film from Iran was revealed as Bidad by Soheil Beiraghi. === Proxima Competition === Highlighted title and double-dagger (‡) indicates Proxima Competition winner. === Special Screenings === The world premiere of Serbian miniseries Absolute 100 will be highlight of Special screening in this edition. === Horizons === === Imagina === === Future Frames: Generation Next of European Cinema === === Pragueshorts === === Out of the Past === === Tribute to Michael Douglas === Michael Douglas presented restored version of the 1975 classic film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest which is included in this section. Douglas was a producer along with Saul Zaentz of the Oscar winning film. === Tribute to Stellan Skarsgård === === Tribute to Vicky Krieps === === Tribute to Peter Sarsgaard === === Tribute to Jiří Brožek === Jiří Brožek is a Czech film editor. === Tribute to Jiří Bartoška === Jiří Bartoška was a Czech theatre, television, and film actor and president of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. === The Life and Times of John Garfield === John Garfield was an American actor who played brooding, rebellious, working-class characters === Afterhours === This section was previously known as "Midnight Screenings". == Awards == === Crystal Globe Competition === Following awards were announced at the closing ceremony of the festival: Grand Prix – Crystal Globe: Better Go Mad in the Wild – Miro Remo Special Jury Prize: Bidad – Soheil Beiraghi Best Director Award: Nathan Ambrosioni – Out of Love Vytautas Katkus – The Visitor Best Actress Award: Pia Tjelta – Don't Call Me Mama Special Jury Mention: Kateřina Falbrová – Broken Voices Best Actor Award: Àlex Brendemühl – When a River Becomes the Sea === Awards for films in the Proxima Competition === The following awards were presented: PROXIMA Grand Prix: Sand City – Mahde Hasan PROXIMA Special Jury Mention: Forensics – Federico Atehortúa Arteaga Special Mention: Before/After – Manoël Dupont Právo Audience Award: We've Got to Frame It! – Milan Kuchynka and Jakub Jurásek === Non-statutory awards === Non-statutory awards were announced in the evening of 12 July. Prize of the Ecumenical Jury: Rebuilding – Max Walker-Silverman Commendation of the Ecumenical Jury: Cinema Jazireh – Gözde Kural Europa Cinemas Label Award: Broken Voices (Sbormistr) – Ondřej Provazník FIPRESCI Award for Crystal Globe Competition: Out of Love (Les Enfants vont bien) – Nathan Ambrosioni FIPRESCI Award for PROXIMA Competition: Before/After (Avant/Après) – Manoël Dupont === Other awards === Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema: Stellan Skarsgård Festival President's Award: Jiří Brožek Dakota Johnson Vicky Krieps Peter Sarsgaard == References == == External links == Official website