23/04/2024 - The retrospective will include works by filmmakers such as Orson Welles, Martin Scorsese, Ousmane Sembene, Jan Němec and Steven Soderbergh

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is bracing for its 58th edition (28 June-6 July), which will celebrate a highly influential figure of 20th-century literature, Franz Kafka, through cinema. Indeed, this June marks the centenary of his passing.

“For decades, Kafka’s oeuvre has functioned as a continuing provocation to filmmakers,” say KVIFF artistic director Karel Och and festival consultant Lorenzo Esposito, co-curators of the programme. “It is as if he were slyly challenging them to attempt to capture, as authentically and intensely as possible, the elusive nature of his formulations, of his narratives, of the realities he has crafted and the feelings of apprehension he elicits, yet also of the comic situations he has created,” continue Och and Esposito.

Orson Welles' The Trial, Jan Němec's Metamorphosis, Federico Fellini’s Intervista and Jean-Claude Rousseau’s The Tomb of Kafka all form part of a retrospective on the author, showcasing decades of impactful cinematic interpretations of his works. The festival is also revisiting diverse Kafkaesque films, including Masao Adachi's satirical Artist of Fasting, Pavel Juráček's acclaimed Joseph Kilian, Steven Soderbergh’s Kafka and Mr. Kneff, Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, and Ousmane Sembene’s The Money Order, underscoring Kafka's profound influence across global cinema.

Furthermore, the gathering will honour esteemed casting director Francine Maisler, featuring a special film screening and a master class during which she will reflect on her distinguished career, highlights of which have been collaborations with directors of the likes of Denis Villeneuve and Alejandro González Iñárritu. “We are glad to have begun a new tradition at Karlovy Vary, where every year we honour one important representative from the film industry. One goal of this project is to call attention to professions that are not immediately visible but that are vital to a film’s success. After honouring longtime director of the Marché du Film Jerôme Paillard and producer Christine Vachon, this year, we will pay homage to casting director Francine Maisler. The profession of casting director has gained increasing attention over the past few years, as evidenced, among other things, by the fact that, starting in 2026, the Academy Awards will include an Oscar for casting,” says KVIFF’s executive director, Kryštof Mucha.

Meanwhile, the Future Frames programme has advanced the careers of countless promising European filmmakers through partnerships with multinational lottery operator Allwyn, UTA and Range Media Partners, which continue throughout this year. The initiative, organised by KVIFF and European Film Promotion, and which will take place from 30 June-3 July, selects ten outstanding film-school students and graduates annually, offering them a tailored mentoring programme, networking opportunities, and a special study trip to Los Angeles to foster their growth and integration into the global film community. Past participants include Felix van Groeningen, Denis Côté, Tim Sutton and Jasmila Žbanić. Representatives from UTA and Range Media Partners will be on hand to provide participants with important feedback and advice. They will also subsequently select one Future Frames filmmaker for the special scholarship and study trip. “We are delighted to continue the collaboration with Allwyn for our Future Frames programme at KVIFF for the second year. Allwyn’s generous support allows us to expand our programme to a new level and to provide young filmmakers with the opportunity to broaden their horizons outside of Europe,” says Sonja Heinen, managing director, European Film Promotion.

The tradition of premiering digitally restored Czech and Czechoslovakian films continues with František Vláčil’s 1977 movie Shadows of a Hot Summer, which won a Crystal Globe at the 1978 edition of the festival. This year's event also includes the presentation of the President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Czech Cinema to prolific actor Ivan Trojan, acknowledging his extensive film, television and theatre career, marked by multiple Czech Lion Awards, plus notable performances in films like Charlatan [+see also:
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interview: Agnieszka Holland
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