Szabolcs Hajdu has time of his life at KVIFF

Director takes Crystal Globe and acting prize in Karlovy Vary.

by Amber Wilkinson

Szabolcs Hajdu receives Crystal Globe for It's Not The Time Of My Life.
Szabolcs Hajdu receives Crystal Globe for It's Not The Time Of My Life. Photo: Film Servis Festival Karlovy Vary

The top prize of the Grand Prix Crystal Globe has been won by Szabolcs Hajdu's It's Not the Time of My Life (Ernelláék Farkaséknál) at the awards ceremony which concluded the 51st edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The film by the White Palms director, which also wins a $25,000 prize to be shared between the director and producer, is an intimate study of two families thrown together by circumstance who temporarily share an unusual apartment. It was a particularly good night for Hajdu who also took home the Best Actor award for his role in the film.

A Special Jury Price was given to Ivan I Tverdovskiy's Russian/French/German co-production Zoology (Zoologiya) about a woman who's life is thrown upside down when she discovers she has grown a tail.

The Best Documentary award went to Alma Har'el's LoveTrue, while Zuzana Mauréry was named Best Actress for her role as a manipulative school mistress in Jan Hřebejk's The Teacher.

The awards in full are:

Grand Prix - Crystal Globe ($25,000) - It's Not the Time of My Life (Ernelláék Farkaséknál), Directed by: Szabolcs Hajdu (Hungary)

Special Jury Prize (£15,000) - Zoology (Zoologiya), Directed by: Ivan I. Tverdovskiy (Russia, France, Germany)

Best Director Award - Damjan Kozole for Nightlife (Nočno življenje) (Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Best Actress Award - Zuzana Mauréry for her role in The Teacher (Učiteľka), Directed by: Jan Hřebejk (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic)

Best Actor Award - Szabolcs Hajdu for his role in It's Not The Time of My Life (Ernelláék Farkaséknál) Directed by: Szabolcs Hajdu (Hungary)

Special Jury Mention - By the Rails (Dincolo de calea ferata), Directed by: Cătălin Mitulescu (Romania, Sweden)

Special Jury Mention - The Wolf from Royal Vineyard Street (Vlk z Královských Vinohrad),, Directed by: Jan Němec (Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, France)

EAST OF THE WEST – COMPETITION

East Of The West Grand Prix ($15,000) -

House of Others (Skhvisi sakhli), Directed by: Rusudan Glurjidze (Georgia, Russia, Spain, Croatia)

East of the West Special Jury Prize ($10,000) - The Days That Confused (Päevad, mis ajasid segadusse), Directed by: Triin Ruumet (Estonia)

DOCUMENTARY FILMS – COMPETITION

Best Documentary Film (£5,000) - LoveTrue, Directed by: Alma Har'el (US)

Special Jury Mention - Ama-San Directed by: Cláudia Varejão (Portugal, Switzerland, Japan)

Právo Audience Award - Captain Fantastic Directed by: Matt Ross (US)

Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema - Willem Dafoe

Festival President’s Award - Jean Reno

Festival President’s Award - Charlie Kaufman

Festival President’s Award for Contribution to Czech Cinematography - Jiřina Bohdalová, Czech Republic

The non-statutory awards were announced earlier, read the full story here.

Share this with others on...

Movies out this week include:

Is This Thing On? Nouvelle Vague Primate Rabbit Trap
News

Home truths Marijana Janković on Balkan representation, and the immigrant question of belonging

The division belle Suzannah Herbert on facing the US' troubled history and making Natchez

Spin-off alchemy Claude Schmitz on bringing back cop pairing for Conrad & Crab – Idiotic Gems

Past crime Christoffer Boe on creating a world for his period mystery Special Unit - The First Murder

It Was Just An Accident screenwriter arrested in Iran Jafar Panahi speaks out

Sundance announces winners Josephine, Nuisance Bear, Shame And Money and To Hold A Mountain take top prizes

More news and features

Interact

As we move into 2026, don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.

With awards season in full flow, you can keep track of the latest news on that here:

César nominations Nouvelle Vague leads the race for France's biggest awards

BAFTA nominations One Battle After Another and Sinners almost neck and neck

Critics' Circle Awards One Battle After Another wins fight

Oscars Sinners dominates the nominations