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Top prize for Czech director Miro Remo at Karlovy International Film Festival
Photo: Film Servis KVIFF
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For the first time in eight years, a home-spun production scored the top prize at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The Crystal Globe at the 59th edition of KVIFF was awarded to the Czech-Slovak documentary Better Go Mad In The Wild, the latest work by the acclaimed Slovak documentary filmmaker Miro Remo. The film follows the lives of two peculiar men in their 60s in the forests of the Šumava mountains.
The Special Jury Prize was bestowed on the Iranian drama about a young singer Bidad. “I thank the Iranian women for their courage, they taught me not to be afraid. They don’t need pity, they need support, so let’s give them a standing ovation,” said the film’s director Soheil Beiraghi to the audience at the prize-giving ceremony in the Grand Hall.
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Stellan Skarsgård with his Crystal Globe on closing night (Photo Film Servis KVIFF)
Photo: Film Servis KVIFF
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The Best Director Award was shared by two filmmakers: French director Nathan Ambrosioni for his moving maternal drama Out Of Love, and Lithuanian director Vytautas Katkus for his feature debut The Visitor.
The Best Actress Award went to Norwegian actress Pia Tjelta for her role as a mayor's wife who enters into a risky romance with a young asylum seeker in Don’t Call Me Mama, while the Best Actor Award was presented to Àlex Brendemühl for his performance in the Spanish film When a River Becomes The Sea.
Young debut actress Kateřina Falbrová received a Special Mention from the jury for her role in Broken Voices. “Who would’ve thought that the 12-year-old snowflake would take the prize? I really hope that people my age will watch Broken Voices and take something away from it,” the actress said.
The Právo Audience Award was awarded to the festival’s opening Czech documentary We’ve Got to Frame It!, in which the late Festival president Jiří Bartoška reflected on his life and career.
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Best Actress award for Norway’s Pia Tjelta in Don’t Call Me Mama
Photo: Film Servis KVIFF
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Meanwhile the Proxima Grand Prix went to Sand City, a Bangladeshi elegy about the passage of time, human privacy, destruction and the tearful valleys of our inner worlds. “I can’t even express my emotions, it’s an incredible experience and a great stepping stone,” said director Mahde Hasan.
The Proxima Special Jury Prize was awarded to Forensics, an experimental essay exploring unspoken traumas of modern Colombian history. The jury awarded a Special Mention to the tender Belgian road-movie Before/After.
Finally, acclaimed actor Stellan Skarsgård was awarded the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. Skarsgård also presented Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value at the Festival.
As the 59th edition spun to a close over the weekend it was announced that the 60th edition of the Festival will take place from 3 to 11 July 2026.
Full list of awards:
Crystal Globe Competition
- Grand Prix – Crystal Globe Better Go Mad in the Wild (Raději zešílet v divočině), Czech Republic, Slovak Republic Directed by: Miro Remo
- Special Jury Prize Bidad Directed by: Soheil Beiraghi, Iran
- Best Director Award – ex-aequo Vytautas Katkus for The Visitor (Svečias), Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Nathan Ambrosioni for Out Of Love (Les Enfants vont bien), France
- Best Actress – Pia Tjelta for Don’t Call Me Mama (Se meg), Norway. Directed by: Nina Knag
- Best Actor – Àlex Brendemühl for When A River Becomes The Sea (Quan un riu esdevé el mar). Directed by: Pere Vilà Barceló, Spain
- Special Jury Mention – Kateřina Falbrová for tBroken Voices (Sbormistr). Directed by: Ondřej Provazník, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, 2025
- Právo Audience Award – We’ve Got to Frame It! (Musíme to zarámovat!). Directed by: Milan Kuchynka, Jakub Jurásek, Czech Republic
Proxima Competition
- Proxima Grand Prix – Sand City (Balur Nogorite), Bangladesh. Directed by: Mahde Hasan
- Proxima Special Jury Prize – Forensics (Forenses), Colombia. Directed by: Federico Atehortúa Arteaga
- Special Mention – Before/After (Avant/Après) Belgium. Directed by: Manoël Dupont
- Ecumenical Jury Award Grand Prize – Rebuilding, US. Directed by: Max Walker-Silverman
- Commendation of Ecumenical Jury – Cinema Jazireh, Turkey, Iran, Bulgaria, Romania
- Europa Cinemas Label Award – Broken Voices
FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Awards
- FIPRESCI best film in Crystal Globe Competition - Nathan Ambroisioni for Out Of Love
- FIPRESCI the best film in the Proxima Competition - Before/After
