Blaga’s Lessons by Bulgarian director Stephan Komandarev was awarded the Grand Prix – Crystal Globe at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The social drama about an elderly woman forced to abandon her moral principles after losing all her savings also earned lead actress Eli Skorcheva the Best Actress Award.

The Best Director Award went to Babak Jalali for Fremont, and Herbert Nordrum received the Best Actor Award for his role in the Scandinavian psychological comedy The Hypnosis.

The Právo Audience Award went to The Edge of the Blade by Vincent Perez, a film excursion to the times of duels with épées, pistols, and sabres in 19th century Paris.

Winners of 2023 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

CRYSTAL GLOBE COMPETITION

GRAND PRIX – CRYSTAL GLOBE (25 000 USD)
Blaga’s Lessons / Urotcite na Blaga
Directed by: Stephan Komandarev
Bulgaria, Germany, 2023

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (15 000 USD)
Empty Nets / Toorhaye khali
Directed by: Behrooz Karamizade
Germany, Iran, 2023

BEST DIRECTOR AWARD
Babak Jalali for the film Fremont
USA, 2023

BEST ACTRESS AWARD
Eli Skorcheva for her role in the film Blaga’s Lessons / Urotcite na Blaga
Bulgaria, Germany, 2023

BEST ACTOR AWARD
Herbert Nordrum for his role in the film The Hypnosis / Hypnosen
Sweden, Norway, France, 2023

SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano
Directed by: Cyril Aris
Germany, Lebanon, 2023

PRÁVO AUDIENCE AWARD
The Edge of the Blade / Une affaire d’honneur
Directed by: Vincent Perez
France, 2023

PROXIMA COMPETITION

PROXIMA GRAND PRIX (15 000 USD)
Birth
Directed by: Yoo Ji-young
South Korea, 2022

PROXIMA SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (10 000 USD)
Guras
Directed by: Saurav Rai
India, Nepal, 2023

SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Brutal Heat / Brutální vedro
Directed by: Albert Hospodářský
Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, 2023

CRYSTAL GLOBE FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CINEMA
Russell Crowe, New Zealand

FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO CZECH CINEMATOGRAPHY
Daniela Kolářová, Czech Republic

FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Alicia Vikander, Sweden
Ewan McGregor, United Kingdom
Robin Wright, USA

NON-STATUTORY AWARDS

THE ECUMENICAL JURY AWARD
Since 1994 the Ecumenical Jury has awarded films from the Crystal Globe Competition that display high artistic quality while questioning social, political ethical, and spiritual values. It promotes directors who emphasize the search for truth, justice, and hope in accordance with Christian Gospels.

GRAND PRIZE OF THE ECUMENICAL JURY
Blaga’s Lessons / Urotcite na Blaga
Directed by: Stephan Komandarev
Bulgaria, Germany, 2023

COMMENDATION OF THE ECUMENICAL JURY
Citizen Saint / Mokalake Tsmindani
Directed by: Tinatin Kajrishvili
Georgia, France, Bulgaria, 2023

EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL AWARD
The Hypnosis / Hypnosen
Directed by: Ernst De Geer
Sweden, Norway, France, 2023

FIPRESCI AWARD

The FIPRESCI award for the best film in the Crystal Globe Competition
The Hypnosis / Hypnosen
Directed by: Ernst De Geer
Sweden, Norway, France, 2023

The FIPRESCI award for the best film in the Proxima Competition
Imago
Directed by: Olga Chajdas
Poland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, 2023

KVIFF EASTERN PROMISES WINNERS: WORKS IN PROGRESS, WORKS IN DEVELOPMENT – FEATURE LAUNCH AND FIRST CUT+ WORKS IN PROGRESS AT KARLOVY VARY IFF 2023

WORKS IN PROGRESS POST-PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT AWARD (90,000 EUR)
I’m Not Everything I Want to Be / Ještě nejsem, kým chci být
Directed by: Klára Tasovská
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria

WORKS IN PROGRESS TRT AWARD (5,000 EUR)
Tasty / Gardutė
Directed by: Egle Vertelyte
Lithuania, Estonia

WORKS IN PROGRESS KARLOVY VARY IFF AWARD (5,000 EUR)
Bikechess / Bikechess
Directed by: Assel Aushakimova
Kazakhstan, France, Norway

WORKS IN DEVELOPMENT – FEATURE LAUNCH
Danijel Hočevar, Slovenia
Joseph Fahim, Egypt
Simone Baumann, Germany

WORKS IN DEVELOPMENT AWARD (10,000 EUR)
Flight from Kabul / Let z Kábulu
Directed by: Sahraa Karimi
Slovakia

CONNECTING COTTBUS AWARD
Excavators / Ekskafis
Directed by: Argyro Nicolaou
Cyprus

ROTTERDAM LAB AWARD
The award goes to Tomáš Pertold, producer of the film God Break Down the Door /Bože, rozraz dveře
Czech Republic

FIRST CUT+ WORKS IN PROGRESS

TRT FIRST CUT+ AWARD (5,000 EUR)
Allen Sunshine
Directed by: Harley Chamandy
Canada, USA