The 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will be held in the Czech Republic, with two Iranian films featured in its official program.
According to Artmag.ir, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the second-oldest film festival in the world and part of the so-called first wave of European post-war film festivals, celebrates the 80th anniversary of its founding this year.
“Hijamat” to Premiere in Crystal Globe Competition
At the 60th edition of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the feature film Hijamat, directed and written by Nader Saei-var and edited and produced by acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, will have its world premiere in the main Crystal Globe Competition section. The film is a German production.
Director Nader Saei-var made Hijamat in Germany with the financial backing of the German company Artkhod Films.
The story follows a deeply religious Turkish family living and working in Berlin. The film explores the burning conflict between identity and love within German society. As the man’s brother fights to protect him, long-hidden secrets begin to surface, triggering a series of troubling events that fundamentally shake the family.
This marks Nader Saei-var’s first film produced outside Iran. In this project, Jafar Panahi collaborated with him on both the screenplay and editing.
In addition to directing, Saei-var previously worked with Panahi as a screenwriter on Three Faces and It Was Just an Accident, both of which achieved notable success at the Cannes Film Festival. His most recent film, The Witness, drew attention two years ago at the Venice Film Festival.
“The Friend’s House is Here” to Screen in Special Screenings
Also at the prestigious event, the feature film The Friend’s House is Here, directed and written by young Iranian filmmakers Maryam Ataei and Hossein Keshavarz, will be screened in the non-competitive Special Screenings section. The film is a co-production between the United States and Iran.
One of Central and Eastern Europe’s Most Prestigious Festivals
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious festivals in Central and Eastern Europe, will hold its 60th edition under the executive direction of Kryštof Mucha and the artistic direction of Karel Och.
This year’s festival will present:
12 feature films in the Crystal Globe Competition
12 feature films in the Proxima Competition
13 feature films in the Special Screenings section
Several films in the classic Out of the Past section, offering a look at the history of KVIFF
A photographic exhibition marking 80 years of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival activities
The festival will run from June 3 to 11, 2026, corresponding to 13 to 21 Khordad, at Thermal Hotel cinemas, including Congress Hall, Grand Hall and cinemas A, B and C, as well as Drahomíra, Karlovy Vary Theatre, Čas, Husovka Theatre, Pupp Cinema and Lázně III in the city of Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
Festival President’s Award to Magda Vášáryová
At the opening ceremony of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Festival President’s Award will be presented to renowned Slovak actress Magda Vášáryová.
In her honor, the festival will screen Birds, Orphans and Fools, directed by Juraj Jakubisko.
The film is a co-production between Czechoslovakia and France. It was written by Jakubisko in collaboration with Karol Sidon and filmed during the turbulent year of 1968.
At that time, a special committee of the Slovak Ministry of Culture banned the distribution of Birds, Orphans and Fools. More than 20 years later, in 1990, the film was screened at the 27th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and received the FIPRESCI award from the International Federation of Film Critics.
Crystal Globe Competition Jury
The Crystal Globe Competition jury at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival KVIFF consists of:
Justin Chang, film critic at The New Yorker, United States
Amanda Nell Eu, director, Malaysia
Pavel Rejholec, sound designer, producer, composer and university lecturer, Czech Republic
Nadia Turincev, producer, Russia, based in France
Eskil Vogt, director and screenwriter, Norway
Proxima Competition Jury
The Proxima Competition jury at this prestigious A-list international festival includes:
Estrella Araiza, general director of Guadalajara International Film Festival FICG and UDG Cinematheque, Mexico
Dirk Decker, producer and co-founder of Tamtam Film, Germany
Jakub Felcman, screenwriter, film critic, producer and director, Czech Republic
Devika Girish, editor of Film Comment and programmer for New York Film Festival, United States
Marija Kavtaradze, director and screenwriter, Lithuania
