Slovak Film Takes Top Prize at Karlovy Vary 2025

The 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival concluded with a powerful and poetic documentary taking home the festival’s top honor. "Better Go Mad in the Wild", directed by Miro Remo and co-produced by Slovakia and the Czech Republic, won the coveted Grand Prix – Crystal Globe. The film is a haunting hybrid of documentary and fiction that follows the lives of twin brothers living in rural isolation.

The Special Jury Prize went to Iranian director Soheil Beiraghi for his gripping drama "Bidad", which portrays a woman’s defiant use of music as a form of resistance under an oppressive regime.

In a rare move, the Best Director Award was shared between two filmmakers: Vytautas Katkus for The Visitor (Lithuania/Norway/Sweden) and Nathan Ambrosioni for Out of Love (France), both praised for their sensitive and authentic storytelling.

The acting awards were dominated by European talent. Pia Tjelta won Best Actress for her commanding performance in Don’t Call Me Mama (Norway), while Àlex Brendemühl received Best Actor for When a River Becomes the Sea (Spain). Czech actress Kateřina Falbrová received a Special Jury Mention for her moving role in Broken Voices, a Czech-Slovak drama directed by Lucie Perutková.

In the festival’s Proxima competition, the Grand Prix went to Sand City, a Bangladeshi drama directed by Mahde Hasan. The Proxima Jury Prize was awarded to Forensics by Colombian filmmaker Federico Atehortúa Arteaga, and Before / After by Manoël Dupont (Belgium) received a Special Jury Mention.

The Audience Award (Právo Audience Award), voted on by festivalgoers, was claimed by the Czech-Slovak documentary We’ve Got to Frame It! by Milan Kuchynka and Jakub Jurásek.

A highlight of the closing ceremony was the presentation of the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema to legendary Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård. The Festival President’s Awards were given to film editor Jiří Brožek, and actors Vicky Krieps, Dakota Johnson, and Peter Sarsgaard for their contributions to international cinema.

The festival also saw awards from international critics and organizations, including FIPRESCI, the Ecumenical Jury, and Europa Cinemas, with Out of Love and Before / After receiving additional acclaim.

Once again, Karlovy Vary proved to be a vital showcase for bold, human-centered storytelling and a meeting ground for some of the most promising voices in contemporary cinema.