The Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s Industry Days program, which runs July 6 to 9, has undergone a revamp and is a day longer than in previous years.
The program will have a sharpened focus on Central European co-production, and the Eastern Promises platform has undergone an update. Also, it has broadened its scope with new presentations and events dedicated to the small-screen and series development. The festival has introduced a Pop-Up Series Incubator featuring five original European series.
Kryštof Mucha, the executive director of Karlovy Vary, said: “We believe that we have a unique opportunity to strengthen our position as the leading industry event dedicated to Central Europe, a region that also includes creative powerhouses like Poland, Germany and Austria, and deserves focused international attention.
“Our aim is to serve as a central hub for producers, filmmakers, broadcasters, and platforms from Central Europe, alongside global industry professionals who wish to engage closely with this vibrant region.
“Recognizing the growing crossover of storytelling across various mediums, our expanded Industry Days now have the capacity and vision to fully embrace this evolution.”
Central Europe to Take Central Stage
The most significant innovation is a new format dedicated to showcasing film projects in the making. The previous Works in Progress pitches will be replaced by a “more dynamic” and Central and Eastern European-focused Central Stage showcase, an initiative created by the festival’s film industry office in cooperation with the national film institutes of Austria, Czech Rep., Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
This will showcase 13 fiction films by established filmmakers from these countries that are in late stages of development, in production or post-production. Instead of traditional pitches, the projects will be introduced through interactive talks, focusing on the filmmakers and co-production landscape in each of the participating countries.
Hugo Rosák, the head of Karlovy Vary industry office, said: “We chose this new format because it addresses a real gap in the Central European film landscape. There is significant support for emerging filmmakers across Eastern Europe, but mid-career filmmakers often lack the necessary spotlight and resources to secure financing, even though their projects are equally compelling.”
The Central Stage showcase will take place on July 8.
Small Screen, Big Ambitions
Another pivotal development in this year’s industry program is the expansion beyond feature films to embrace small-screen content, made possible through a new partnership with Central European Media Enterprises. There will be a dedicated event program consisting of showcases, panels, workshops and talks by major small-screen players and experts that will take place on July 8 and 9.
Rosák said: “With CME’s backing, the festival can now fully realize its potential as a premier meeting place and showcase platform for small-screen content across Central and Eastern Europe. Rather than competing with existing specialized events, this initiative leverages Karlovy Vary’s unique strengths in fostering international connections and providing an ideal environment for presenting and developing television and streaming projects alongside traditional cinema.”
Pop Up Series Incubator
A vital part of the new small-screen focus is the Pop Up Series Incubator showcase on July 8, a new series development program designed to support European producers and scriptwriters by boosting their projects through hands-on development, expert mentorship and financial support.
The eight-month-long program is organized by Tatino Films. It comes together in Karlovy Vary with a pitching session where the creative teams will present their series concepts to industry professionals and decision-makers, followed by curated match-making sessions with professionals that look to finance or produce series.
Matthieu Darras, CEO of Tatino Films, said: “The impulse to create Pop Up Series Incubator comes from our observation and analysis of the rapid evolution of the European audiovisual landscape, as well as from the many exchanges we have had with Tatino programs alumni. Intellectual property has become the buzzword of the audiovisual industry. Most of the upcoming shows of streamers are adaptations of existing IPs – literary, audiovisual works or even true stories. The reason for that is simple: building an audience or generating attention from scratch is seen as way too risky and unlikely considering the financial implications of drama series production.
“This ‘IP Adaptation Game’ is mostly reserved to big players, but Pop Up Series wants to create opportunities for audiovisual talents that are not necessarily in the orbit of international behemoths such as Banijay, Freemantle, or Mediawan, to adapt their own IPs into compelling series projects. We believe that there’s room for more niche and/or innovative series that tap into under-explored IPs, thus contributing to offer fresh and meaningful stories to diverse audiences.”
The selected projects that will be showcased in Karlovy Vary are:
“Angelmaker” (Romania)
Producer: Anda Ionescu, Tangaj Production
Writer: Cristina Grosan
Based on a true story of the Angel Makers of Nagyrév
Accompanied by screenwriters Leana Jalukse and Loïc Barrère
“Erotic Lives of the Superheroes” (France)
Producer: Eric Dupont, Incognito Films
Based on “La Vita Erotica Dei Superuomini,” an Italian novel by Marco Mancassola
Accompanied by screenwriters Nadya Todorova and Ruddy-Williams Kabuiku
“The Night of the Beguines” (France)
Producer: Candice Zaccagnino, Eliane Antoinette
Writer: David Roux
Based on “La Nuit des Béguines,” a French novel by Aline Kiner
Accompanied by screenwriter Yaelle Kayam
“The Three Burials of Irma” (Greece)
Producer: Fenia Cossovitsa, Blonde S.A.
Writer: Elina Psykou
Based on “Alfatride” (O iatrodikastis), a Greek novel by Vassilis Vassilikos
Accompanied by screenwriter Lemba de Miranda
“Therapies” (Lithuania)
Producer: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė, Just a Moment
Writer: Birutė Kapustinskaitė
Based on a play by Lithuanian writer Birutė Kapustinskaitė
Accompanied by screenwriters Fabrizio Muscia and Ruxandra Ghitescu
Works in Development – Feature Launch and Focus Queer to Compete for Eurimages Co-production Development Award
One of the KVIFF Eastern Promises staples, the Midpoint Institute’s Works in Development international script development program will showcase nine feature-length projects that are in development, and five additional projects developed within Midpoint – Focus Queer, a program supporting filmmakers exploring queer narratives, highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusion in contemporary storytelling.
The projects, now looking for co-production partners, will compete for the 10,000 Euros Midpoint and KVIFF Development Award as well as the Eurimages Co-production Development Award of 20,000 Euros. The presentations will take place on July 7.
KVIFF Talents
Now in its third edition, KVIFF Talents is a year-long program with the purpose of seeking out and supporting talented Czech and Slovak filmmakers and innovative audiovisual genres. The Creative Pool focuses on identifying innovative ideas for audiovisual works of any genre or format — from short films and series to podcasts or game concepts. The Feature Pool, on the other hand, is dedicated to supporting the development of original auteur-driven feature-length fiction films.
This year, nearly 200 submissions were received. Six projects have been selected — three series and three feature films. They will receive development funding, mentorship from industry experts, and the opportunity to present their projects to potential producers, partners, and investors during the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. The creative teams will pitch their projects to potential production partners during a dedicated KVIFF Talents showcase on July 7.
Additional support includes the possibility of a residency in Karlovy Vary and other tailored forms of assistance.
KVIFF Talents – Selected Projects
Feature Pool:
“Nameless” (Czech Republic)
Feature debut combining live action and stop-motion animation
Animator and director: Daria Kashcheeva
Producer: Lukáš Kokeš, Nutprodukce
“Spirit Moose” (Czech Republic, Slovakia)
Feature film – thriller
Director: Tomáš Klein
Screenwriter: Barbora Námerová
Producer: Tomáš Michálek, Master Film
“Burnout” (Czech Republic)
Feature debut based on the novel by Petr Šesták
Writer and director: Greta Stocklassa
Producer: Marek Novák, Xova Films
Creative Pool:
“Mould” (Czech Republic)
Animated series for both children and adults
Animator and director: Phillip Kastner
Producer: Tereza Havlová
“Lost Boys” (Czech Republic)
Anime series
Writer and director: Dužan Duong
Producers: AZN kru and Nutprodukce
“Remake” (Czech Republic)
Live-action musical series
Writer and director: Kateřina Letáková
Producer: Daniel Bleha, Filmkolektiv
Proven Industry Events Anchor Expanded Program
In addition to these new and established showcases, the extended KVIFF Industry Days will offer its traditional mix of events, such as the Czech Film Industry Forum and International Industry Insights Forum, a series of swift sessions providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of things both locally and globally.
The program also includes more in-depth workshops, panels and talks on the Workshop Stage, as well as the industry networking and meeting opportunities. The complete Industry Days schedule will be published later in June.
