The 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival took place from August 20 to August 28, 2021, in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
A total of 144 films were presented at the festival, including 29 world premieres, twelve international and two European premieres. Serbian-French-Luxembourgish-Bulgarian-Lithuanian co-produced film As Far as I Can Walk won the Crystal Globe. The festival paid tributes to Jan Svěrák and Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation.
Juries The following were appointed as the juries at the 55th edition:
Crystal Globe Jury Eva Mulvad (Denmark) Marta Nieradkiewicz (Poland) Christos Nikou (Greece) Christoph Terhechte (Germany)
FIPRESCI Jury Birgit Beumers (United Kingdom) Eirik Bull (Norway) Adéla Mrázová (Czech Republic)
East of the West Alise Ģelze (Latvia) Atanas Georgiev (North Macedonia) Michal Hogenauer (Czech Republic) Tonia Mishiali (Cyprus) Ariel Schweitzer (France)
The Ecumenical Jury Pierre-Auguste Henry (France) Angelika Obert (Germany) Joel Ruml (Czech Republic)
FEDEORA Jury Natascha Drubek-Meyer (Germany) Mihai Fulger (Romania) Nino Kovačić (Croatia)
Europa Cinemas Label Jury Linda Arbanová (Czech Republic) Erika Borsos (Hungary) Gregor Janežič (Slovenia)
Official selection Crystal Globe English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) As Far as I Can Walk Strahinja Banović Stefan Arsenijević Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania At Full Throttle Láska pod kapotou Miro Remo Czech Republic, Slovakia Bird Atlas Atlas ptáků Olmo Omerzu Czech Republic, Slovenia, SlovakiaBoiling Point Philip Barantini United Kingdom Every Single Minute Každá minuta života Erika Hníková Czech Republic, Slovakia The Exam Ezmûn Shawkat Amin Korki Germany, Iraq, Qatar The Land of the Sons La terra dei figli Claudio Cupellini ItalyNö Dietrich Brüggemann GermanyLe Prince Lisa Bierwirth Germany Saving One Who Was Dead Zpráva o záchraně mrtvého Václav Kadrnka Czech Republic, Slovakia, France The Staffroom Zbornica Sonja Tarokić Croatia Wars Guerres Nicolas Roy Canada
Highlighted title and dagger () indicates Crystal Globe winner. Highlighted title and double-dagger () indicates Special Jury Prize winner.
East of the West English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) After the Winter Poslije zime Ivan Bakrač Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia Dear Ones Bliscy Grzegorz Jaroszuk Poland, Czech Republic Intensive Life Unit Jednotka intenzivního života Adéla Komrzý Czech Republic Mirrors in the Dark Zrcadla ve tmě Šimon Holý Czech Republic Nuuccha Vladimir Munkuev Russia Otar's Death Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze Georgia, Germany, LithuaniaPatchwork Petros Charalambous Cyprus, Israel, Slovenia Roots Koreni Tea Lukač Serbia Runner Bėgikė Andrius Blaževičius Lithuania, Czech Republic Sisterhood Sestri Dina Duma North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro Two Ships Marťanské lodě Jan Foukal Czech Republic, Norway Wild Roots Külön falka Hajni Kis Hungary, Slovakia
Highlighted title and dagger () indicates East of the West winner. Highlighted title and double-dagger () indicates East of the West Special Jury Prize winner.
Special Screenings English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Brighton 4th Levan Koguashvili Georgia, Russia, Bulgaria, United States, Monaco Dreams About Stray Cats Sny o toulavých kočkách David Sís Czech Republic, USA, France My Sunny Maad Moje slunce Mad Michaela Pavlátová Czech Republic, France, Slovakia The Party and the Guests O slavnosti a hostech Jan Němec CzechoslovakiaRapStory Šimon Šafránek Czech Republic Reconstruction of Occupation Rekonstrukce okupace Jan Šikl Czech Republic, Slovakia Roaring 20's Années 20 Elisabeth Vogler France Suspicion Podezření Michal Blaško Czech Republic, FranceZátopek David Ondříček Czech Republic, Slovakia
Horizons English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Ahed's Knee Haderek Nadav Lapid France, Israel, GermanyAli & Ava Clio Barnard United Kingdom All Eyes Off Me Mishehu Yohav Mishehu Hadas Ben Aroya IsraelAmparo Simón Mesa Soto Colombia, Sweden, QatarAnanda Stefano Deffenu Italy Apples Mila Christos Nikou Greece, Poland, Slovenia Babi Yar, Context Sergei Loznitsa Netherlands, Ukraine Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc Radu Jude Romania, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Croatia Ballad of a White Cow Ghasideyeh gave sefid Behtash Sanaeeha, Maryam Moghaddam Iran, FranceBenedetta Paul Verhoeven France, NetherlandsBest Sellers Lina Roessler Canada, United Kingdom Between Two Worlds Ouistreham Emmanuel Carrère FranceA Chiara Jonas Carpignano Italy, France Commitment Hasan Bağlılık Hasan Semih Kaplanoğlu Turkey Compartment No. 6 Hytti nro 6 Juho Kuosmanen Finland, Germany, Estonia, Russia Conference Konferentsiya Ivan I. Tverdovskiy Russia, Estonia, United Kingdom, Italy Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan Julien Temple United Kingdom, Ireland The Dawn Zora Dalibor Matanić Croatia Drive My Car Doraibu mai kâ Ryûsuke Hamaguchi Japan The Employer and the Employee El empleado y el patrón Manuel Nieto Zas Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, France Even Mice Belong in Heaven Myši patří do nebe Denisa Grimmová, Jan Bubeníček Czech Republic, France, Poland, SlovakiaFeathers Omar El-Zohairy France, Egypt, Netherlands, GreeceFirst Reformed Paul Schrader United StatesFlee Jonas Poher Rasmussen Denmark, France, Sweden, NorwayThe Furnace Roderick MacKay Australia Ghosts Hayaletler Azra Deniz Okyay Turkey, France, QatarA Glitch in the Matrix Rodney Ascher United States Hit the Road Jadde Khaki Panah Panahi Iran Hive Zgjoi Blerta Basholli Kosovo, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Albania The House Arrest Delo Alexey German Jr. Russia Introduction Inteurodeoksyeon Hong Sang-soo South Korea The Intruder El prófugo Natalia Meta Argentina, Mexico Lamb Dýrið Valdimar Jóhannsson Iceland, Sweden, PolandLaurent Garnier: Off the Record Gabin Rivoire United Kingdom, Belgium Love Affair(s) Les choses qu'on dit, les choses qu'on fait Emmanuel Mouret FranceLuzzu Alex Camilleri Malta Mariner of the Mountains O Marinheiro das Montanhas Karim Aïnouz Brazil, France, GermanyMemoria Apichatpong Weerasethakul Colombia, Thailand, France, Germany, Mexico, QatarMemory Box Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige France, Lebanon, Canada, QatarMinamata Andrew Levitas United States Mr Bachmann and His Class Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse Maria Speth GermanyNadia, Butterfly Pascal Plante FranceNemesis Thomas Imbach SwitzerlandThe Nest Sean Durkin United Kingdom, Canada Oasis Oaza Ivan Ikić Serbia, Slovenia, Netherlands, France, Bosnia and HerzegovinaOlga Elie Grappe Switzerland, Ukraine, France Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle Onoda Arthur Harari France, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Cambodia The Painted Bird Nabarvené ptáče Václav Marhoul Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine Paris, 13th District Les Olympiades Jacques Audiard FrancePetite Maman Céline Sciamma FranceEl Planeta Amalia Ulman SpainPleasure Ninja Thyberg Sweden, Netherlands, France Prayers for the Stolen Noche de Fuego Tatiana Huezo Mexico, Germany, Brazil, QatarQuo Vadis, Aida? Jasmila Žbanić Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, Norway, TurkeyRoadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain Morgan Neville United States The Sea Ahead Albahr 'amamakum Ely Dagher France, Lebanon, Belgium, United States, QatarThe Sparks Brothers Edgar Wright United Kingdom, United StatesStop-Zemlia Kateryna Gornostai UkraineSweat Magnus von Horn Poland, Sweden The Tale of King Crab Re Granchio Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis Italy, Argentina, FranceTina T. J. Martin, Daniel Lindsay United States The Tsugua Diaries Diários de Otsoga Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes Portugal, FranceVortex Gaspar Noé France, Belgium, Monaco We Nous Alice Diop France What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt? Alexandre Koberidze Germany, Georgia Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy Gûzen to sôzô Ryusuke Hamaguchi JapanWomen Do Cry Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova Bulgaria, France The Worst Person in the World Verdens værste menneske Joachim Trier Norway, France, Sweden, DenmarkZanka Contact Ismaël El Iraki Morocco, France, Belgium
Imagina English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Come Here Jai jumlong Anocha Suwichakornpong Thailand Days Rizi Tsai Ming-liang TaiwanLast and First Men Jóhann Jóhannsson Iceland Rock Bottom Riser Fern Silva United States Taste Vị Lê Bảo Vietnam, Singapore, France, Thailand, Germany
People Next Door English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Brother's Keeper Okul Tıraşı Ferit Karahan Turkey, Romania Capernaum Capharnaüm Nadine Labaki Lebanon, France, United States Little Girl Petite fille Sébastien Lifshitz France Shoplifters Manbiki kazoku Hirokazu Kore-eda Japan Summer 1993 Estiu 1993 Carla Simón Spain
Midnight Screenings English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)The Green Knight David Lowery United States Impetigore Perempuan Tanah Jahanam Joko Anwar Indonesia, United States, South Korea Mother Schmuckers Fils de plouc Lenny Guit, Harpo Guit Belgium Mulholland Drive David Lynch United States, France Shoky & Morthy: Last Big Thing Shoky & Morthy: Poslední velká akce Andy Fehu Czech Republic Train to Busan 2: Peninsula Bando Yeon Sang-ho South Korea
Awards The following awards were presented at the 55th edition:
Official selection awards Grand Prix – Crystal Globe As Far as I Can Walk by Stefan Arsenijević
Special Jury Prize Every Single Minute by Erika Hníková
Best Director Dietrich Brüggemann for Nö
Best Actress Éléonore Loiselle for Wars
Best Actor Ibrahim Koma for As Far as I Can Walk
Special Jury Mention The Staffroom by Sonja Tarokić Vinette Robinson for her performance in Boiling Point Jelena Stanković for cinematography in As Far as I Can Walk
Other statutory awards East of the West Grand Prix Nuucha by Vladimir Munkuev
East of the West Special Jury Prize Sisterhood by Dina Duma
East of the West Special Jury Mention Intensive Life Unit by Adéla Komrzý
Právo Audience Award Zátopek by David Ondříček
Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema Michael Caine (Great Britain)
Festival President's Award for Contribution to Czech Cinematography Jan Svěrák (Czech Republic)
Festival President's Award Ethan Hawke (United States)
Non-statutory awards Award of International Film Critics (FIPRESCI) The Exam by Shawkat Amin Korki
The Ecumenical Jury Award As Far as I Can Walk by Stefan Arsenijević
Ecumenical Jury Commendation The Staffroom by Sonja Tarokić
FEDEORA Award Otar's Death by Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze
FEDEORA Jury Special Mention Intensive Life Unit by Adéla Komrzý
Europa Cinemas Label Award As Far as I Can Walk by Stefan Arsenijević
References