The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is set to elevate its industry offerings for its milestone 60th edition by introducing new initiatives and expanding its global reach. Organizers have revealed a refreshed structure for the Industry Days segment, designed to better support evolving trends in filmmaking and content creation across Central Europe and beyond.
Taking place from July 5 to July 8 at the Kaiserbad venue, the Industry Days will now be divided into two key tracks — Cinematic Focus and Screen Focus. These strands aim to address the changing needs of audiovisual professionals, covering a wide range of topics such as production quality standards, ethical storytelling in true crime, new distribution models, and innovative narrative techniques.
One of the most notable additions this year is the launch of a Book-to-Screen program. Inspired by similar concepts at major international events, this initiative will showcase up to 10 literary works from Central and Eastern Europe that are suitable for film or television adaptation. The program has been developed in collaboration with Frankfurter Buchmesse, Svět knihy, the Moravian Library in Brno, and supported by the PPF Foundation. Its long-term goal is to strengthen collaboration between publishing and film industries while creating new opportunities for regional storytelling.
Another key development is the transformation of KVIFF Promises, previously known as Eastern Promises. The rebranded platform will now expand beyond its regional focus to welcome projects from around the world. This shift is expected to position it as a major hub for international co-productions, connecting filmmakers, producers, distributors, and festival programmers on a broader scale.
The festival will also host the Global Media Makers Residency, organized in partnership with the U.S. embassies in Bratislava and Prague, along with Film Independent. This intensive program will bring together independent producers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia to explore modern financing strategies, project development, and global collaboration through workshops and expert-led sessions.
Additionally, the International Casting Directors Association will take part in the festival, presenting its annual Semiramis Award for Excellence in Casting. Alongside the award ceremony, a series of panel discussions and masterclasses will delve into the evolving role of casting in contemporary cinema, highlighting its growing recognition within the industry.
With these new initiatives and a stronger international outlook, the Karlovy Vary Film Festival continues to reinforce its position as a key platform for creative exchange, industry growth, and global collaboration in filmmaking.