The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is gearing up for its 60th edition, set to take place in the Czech spa town from July 3-11. This year, the festival is doubling down on its commitment to Central-European co-production, with a focus on showcasing the works of established filmmakers and fostering collaboration between the film and publishing industries. The KVIFF Central Stage program, in partnership with eight national film institutes across the region, will feature 11 upcoming feature films directed by renowned filmmakers, including Nicolas Steiner, Antonio Lukich, and Cristina Groșan. These films, in late-stage development, production, or post-production, will be presented during an interactive talk show on the Film Industry Main Stage on Monday, July 6, offering valuable opportunities for co-production, financing, sales, distribution, and festival premiere.
One of the highlights of the festival is the inaugural Book-to-Screen program, designed to create a market for film adaptation rights to original IP from Central and Eastern Europe. The program will showcase eight award-winning literary works, selected by an international jury for their strong cinematic potential. These books, ranging from historical dramas and folk horror to children's stories and contemporary voices, will be pitched to domestic and international producers in a talk show format moderated by Niki Théron of the Frankfurt Book Fair on Tuesday, July 7. The program aims to strengthen cooperation between the film and publishing industries and create a more transparent environment for adaptation rights in the region.
Among the books being pitched for possible adaptations are historical drama 'Cupid at the Kremlin Wall', Lithuanian hit 'Aspic Bistro', and 'Amadoka', which uses the war in the Donbas as its starting point. The festival's long-term ambition with the Book-to-Screen program is to become a true Central-Eastern European IP market, fostering dialogue between the film and publishing industries and creating a more transparent environment for adaptation rights in the region.
In addition to the Central Stage and Book-to-Screen programs, KVIFF Promises 2026 will present 38 projects across five programs to producers, sales companies, distributors, festival programmers, and other professionals seeking quality emerging films or works available for adaptation. The programs include 11 feature films in the Central Stage program, nine treatments in the Works in Development – Feature Launch section, four in the Works in Development – Focus Queer section, six feature film or series projects in KVIFF Talents, and eight original literary IPs in Book-to-Screen at KVIFF. The festival's commitment to Central-European co-production and its focus on fostering collaboration between the film and publishing industries make it an exciting and innovative event in the film world.
