“Amedspor” and “Lover, Not a Fighter” were among the winners at the awards for Eastern Promises, Karlovy Vary Film Festival‘s industry section, on Tuesday.
The Works in Progress Visual Post-Production Award went to Turkish documentary “Amedspor,” directed by Rezan Yesilbas and produced by Ahmet Gurata. The film follows Amedspor, a minor soccer club from the Turkish second league, which came into the spotlight when it decided to reclaim its Kurdish identity.
The jury said it was “an important and enthralling look at the intersection of sports and politics in modern day Turkey as a minor league football team works to reclaim its identity despite the conflict and likely repercussions.” The jury added it was “an important reflection of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict, telling the story not in a direct political way but through football.”
The Works in Progress Sound Post-Production Award was taken by “Lover, Not a Fighter,” a co-production from Slovak Republic and Czech Republic. The film, a love story about troubled youth Andrej and Miša, will be directed by Martina Buchelová and produced by Michaela Kaliská, Erika Paulinská and Julie Marková Žáčková.
The jury said the project was a “fresh and honest depiction of young love and for a tender, cruel and crazy coming-of-age trip.”
The Works in Progress Award was won by “Virtual Girlfriends,” another Czech Republic, Slovak Republic co-production. The film, about an unconventional love triangle, is to be directed by Barbora Chalupová and produced by Pavla Klimešová, Monika Lošťáková and Simona Hrušovská.
The jury described it as “a revealing, touching and complex depiction of individuals in the Czech Republic who have turned to the world’s oldest profession (with a twist) on today’s online and social marketplace, questioning identity, sexuality, normality, performance and more in the effort to make a living.”
The Midpoint & KVIFF Development Award was picked up by “Klára Is Here” from Hungary. It will be directed and written by Dávid Csicskár and produced by Balázs Zachar.
The jury said the project “explores the poignant story of a man’s quest for happiness amidst a heartbreaking reality, capturing the tragedy of letting go of love and the bravery to start over at any age.”
The Eurimages Co-production Development Award, which comes with a 20,000 Euros cash prize, went to “Antonie” from the Czech Republic. It will be directed and written by Rozálie Kohoutová and produced by Martina Knoblochová and Martin Hůlovec.
The jury said the project “challenges conventional ideas about parenthood with humor and heart and motivates us to rethink societal norms.”
Other winners were:
Connecting Cottbus Award
“Eli and Them” (Czech Republic), directed and written by Petr Pylypčuk and produced by Kryštof Burda
Rotterdam Lab Award
Martina Knoblochová, producer of “Antonie” (Czech Republic)
KVIFF Talents: Feature Pool
“Inbetween Worlds” (Czech Republic, Slovakia), directed by Diana Cam Van Nguyen, written by Diana Cam Van Nguyen, Milada Těšitelová and produced by Karolína Davidová and Jakub Viktorín
“Letters to the Future” (Czech Republic), directed and written by Myro Klochko, produced by Marek Čermák, Karolína Fránková
“Rusalka” (Czech Republic), written by Hana Neničková
KVIFF Talents: Creative Pool
“Casting” (Czech Republic), limited series directed by Terézia Halamová, written by Jan Černý and produced by Natália Pavlove
“Into the Endless Unknowns” (Czech Republic), miniseries written and directed by Veronika Jelšíková and Petr Vlček
“Spectrum” (Czech Republic), dramedy series directed by Igor Smitka, written by Adél Škvrna, produced by Klára Mamojková, Wanda Kaprálová and Matej Sotník
First Cut+ Works in Progress Award
“Numakage Public Swimming Pool” (Japan), directed and written by Shingo Ota and produced by Kyoko Takenaka
First Cut+ Works in Progress: Special Mention
“Mayflies” (Hungary, Slovak Republic), directed and written by Emília Goldberg and produced by Ferenc Pusztai and Linda Pfeiffer
KVIFF Eastern Promises – Marché du Film Producers Network Award
Michaela Kaliská, producer of “Lover, Not a Fighter” (Slovakia), and Patryk Sielecki, producer of “Anxiety of the Heart” (Poland)