KVIFF Eastern Promises Online Project Showcases

The Works in Development, First Cut+ and Works in Progress project presentations were held online before the festival itself, between July 28 and August 12. (Complete list below)
The projects, their pitches and filmmakers can be found until August 31 on the Wyth platform. If you haven't got your access yet, please contact us at [email protected]. The electronic Book of Projects is available for download here.

Industry Days 2021 events during the festival

Sunday, August 22

14:00 – 15:30 CET
KVIFF TALK with Ninja Thyberg
Press Conference Hall, Hotel Thermal

Swedish director Ninja Thyberg is a preeminent and talented contemporary filmmaker who, in just a short period of time, has succeeded in creating a unique signature style and becoming an international hit. Her nine short films take a fresh and playful approach to gender and social stereotypes, our understanding of our own bodies, and the relationship between power, desire, and sexuality. Thyberg’s feature film debut Pleasure, a follow-up to her eponymous short film, premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festivalu, and the media has described its “unsettling authenticity.” The film takes an unflinching look behind the scenes of America’s porn industry, and how to approach this taboo and myth-shrouded phenomenon will be the subject of our talk. Hosted by Marta Balaga, journalist covering the festival for Cineuropa and Variety magazine.

The KVIFF Talk will be held in English without translation.

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14:00 – 15:00 CET
Happy hour with the Czech Film Fund
Online

Informal meeting with the members of the Czech Film Fund. Ask them anything!
This year's edition will be held on-line via this Zoom link.

Event in Czech language without translation.

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16:00 – 17:00 CET
Greenfilming: Best Practices with APA
Press Conference Hall, Hotel Thermal

The Earth is our only location – so what are the best film making practices in order to protect our planet? The film industry has a unique power to set trends, motivate and positively influence mainstream audiences towards more sustainable behaviour. The ways in which our industry can become more green will be discussed by:

• Marta Kuchynková (Audiovisual Producers' Association) will present the Czech Greenfilming Blueprint and other APA sustainable initiatives run under www.greenfilming.cz
• Zuzana Bieliková (Slovak Film Commission) will introduce Eureca, the film carbon footprint calculator (www.eurecafilm.eu)
• Silvie Michajlová (Film Kolektiv), a producer who has strived to use sustainability principles on film sets for a couple of years, will share both best practices and pitfalls of this path

Hosted by Hugo Rosák, Head of KVIFF Film Industry Office.

The debate will be held in Czech and Slovak without translation.

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Monday, August 23

16:00 – 16:30 CET
APA Review of Years 2019 and 2020
Press Conference Hall, Hotel Thermal

Every year during KVIFF, the Audiovisual Producers' Association presents a yearly review of the Czech audiovisual production, this time for the years 2019 and 2020 combined. The association, established 1994, now consists of 120 individuals and companies producing feature, documentary films and animations as well as advertising, television and film services.

The speakers will present

• the AV industry development and trends in the past two years
• impact of the Covid-19 pandemic (less fatal than APA estimated in March 2020, thanks to early implementation of testing and other safety measures)
• the achievements of Czech audiovisual production

APA speakers:

• Vratislav Šlajer – Chairman of the Board at APA, Producer at Bionaut
• Pavel Strnad – Member of the Board at APA, Producer at Negativ
• Monika Kristlová – Member of the Board at APA, Producer at Dawson Productions

This presentation is in Czech without translation.

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Tuesday, August 24

11:00 – 12:30 CET
KVIFF TALK with directors Radu Jude and Sergei Loznitsa
Vodafone Lounge, Hotel Thermal

Two distinctive European filmmakers, recipients of numerous festival awards, directors who have repeatedly explored the dark side of European history, regular guests in Karlovy Vary, and also personal friends. Radu Jude, one of Romanian cinema’s most distinctive personalities, recipient of dozens of festival awards including a Crystal Globe at the 53rd Karlovy Vary film festival and a Golden Bear from this year’s Berlinale, and renowned Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa, a household name among film festivals, creator of award-winning documentaries and fiction films, among other things recipient of a directing award at Cannes. Join this unique discussion between two distinctive contempory auteurs, both of whom will be presenting their latest works at this year’s festival. Hosted by Neil Young, British film journalist, curator, and contributor to The Hollywood Reporter, Sight & Sound, and Screen International.

The KVIFF Talk will be held in English without translation.

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14:00 – 16:00 CET
Transformations of Czech audiovisual industry and our competitivity on European markets
Press Conference Hall, Hotel Thermal

Shifts in the audiovisual industry related to the Covid-19 pandemic or other causes. Impact of the National Recovery Plan. Czech Film Fund's transformation into Audiovisual Fund and its benefits for (not only) Czech film professionals and their competitivity: all these topics will be discussed by the panel's host Saša Michaildilis and the following guests:

• Lubomír Zaorálek (ČSSD) – Czech Minister of Culture, Member of Parliament
• Martina Dlabajová (ANO) – Member of European Parliament, Vice-President of Parliamentary Intergroup for Creative Industries
• Radovan Auer (TOP 09) – member of TOP 09 Executive Committee, director of the Book World book fair and literary festival
• Jan Lacina (STAN) – Vice-Mayor of Praha 6, member in charge of culture for the Pirate Party & STAN coalition
• Ondřej Chrást (Pirátská strana) – councillor of Praha 6, member of the board of directors of the Prague Film Fund foundation
• Vratislav Šlajer (Audiovisual Producers' Association) – Chairman of the Board of Management APA, producer at Bionaut
• Jan Bradáč (Union of Distributors, Asociace provozovatelů kin) – Chairman of the Board of Management Falcon film distribution company, CEO at CineStar
• Helena Bezděk Fraňková (Czech Film Fund) – Director

The panel will be streamed live on KVIFF.TV

In Czech without translation.

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Wednesday, August 25

14:00 – 14:30 CET
The Role of Actor's Agent
Press Conference Hall, Hotel Thermal

What is the job of actor's agent about? Which standards and ethic codex should it follow not only towards the actors and actresses, but also towards casting, directors, production managers, producers and other AV professionals? Find more about these topics with Lenka Daňková and Selma Ročková from AHA, the association of actor's agents founded in 2020 with the goal of cultivating the milieu and problem solving with other film industry associations like APA or ARAS. Hosted by Hugo Rosák, Head of Film Industry Office.

Talk in Czech without translation.

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15:30 – 17:00 CET
KVIFF TALK with director Juho Kuosmanen and actress Seidi Haarla
Press Conference Hall, Hotel Thermal

Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen charmed Karlovy Vary for the first time five years ago with his biopic feature debut The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki, winner of the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes 2016. His current film Compartment No. 6 (screened here in the Horizons section) has shined even brighter, winning this year's Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix and the Ecumenical Jury's Special Mention. This unusual romantic comedy about two seemingly divergent personalities, a young Finnish intellectual and a Russian miner sharing a compartment in a train going to Murmansk, is based on the eponymous bestseller by Rosa Liksom and explores the topics of identity and accepting others as well as ourselves. Join us, the director and his female lead Seidi Haarla, Finnish actress and one of this year's Berlinale EFP Shooting Stars, for a talk about authenticity and the quirks of filming in an actual moving train.

Hosted by Marta Balaga, journalist covering KVIFF for Cineuropa and Variety magazine.

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Thursday, August 26

14:00 – 15:30 CET
KVIFF TALK with DJ & Producer Laurent Garnier
Press Conference Hall, Hotel Thermal

Join us for a truly unique KVIFF Talk: Laurent Garnier, the legendary French DJ, producer and one of the godfathers of house music, comes to Karlovy Vary to promote Laurent Garnier: Off the Record. The documentary film directed by Gabin Rivoire reflects on Garnier's personal story intertwined with the revolutionary history of electronic music. Garnier also composed the score for multiple films, TV and theatre pieces, fuelled by his unwavering passion for music since the late 1980s when he became part of the Manchester club scene. His long and illustrious career – the artist was even decorated as Chévalier de la Légion d´Honneur in 2017 – will be the subject of this talk. Hosted by Saša Michailidis.

The KVIFF Talk will be held in English without translation.

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Saturday, August 28

11:00 – 12:30 CET
KVIFF TALK with Ethan Hawke
Congress Hall, Hotel Thermal

The final guest of this year’s KVIFF TALKS is American actor, director, and author Ethan Hawke, who will be at this year’s festival to receive the KVIFF President’s Award and to personally present Paul Schrader’s thriller First Reformed. Hawke has appeared in dozens of unforgettable roles and has worked with numerous outstanding directors such as Peter Weir, Alfonso Cuarón, Sydney Lumet, and most notably Richard Linklater, with whom he worked on eight film and with whom he co-wrote the screenplays for the cult films Before Sunset and Before Midnight, both of which earned him Oscar nominations. Hawke made his directorial debut with the film Chelsea Walls; his most recent outing as a director was the biopic Blaze.

Hosted by Neil Young, British film journalist, curator, and contributor to The Hollywood Reporter, Sight & Sound, and Screen International..

The KVIFF Talk will be held in English without translation.

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Past KVIFF Eastern Promises events

Tuesday, June 29

14:00 CET
Webinar: How to Bring Arthouse Films to Audiences?
A joint KVIFF and First Cut+ webinar focused the role of festivals in the near future, algorithms and VOD platforms.
Speakers: Daniela Colle – Sales Agent, Pluto Films, Karel Och – Artistic Director KVIFF, Aiste Racaityte – Kino Pavasaris (Distribution and Festival), Alexis Hamaide – First Cut+ Marketing Advisor

Webinar recording at KVIFF.TV

Wednesday, July 28

14:00 – 15:30 CET
Works in Development – Feature Launch
Online showcase of the selected 9 first and second feature film projects from Central and Eastern Europe developed within the MIDPOINT Feature Launch 2020 program.
Interesting for: Producers seeking projects for co-production, funds, co-production markets, production companies.

Tuesday, August 3

14:00 – 16:30 CET
First Cut+
Online showcase of the selected 8 feature film projects in post-production supported via the First Cut Lab editing-phase program and the First Cut+ promotional-phase program.
Interesting for: Sales agents, distributors, festival representatives, post-production co-producers.

Tuesday, August 10

14:00 – 15:15 CET
Works in Progress I
Online showcase of the first part of the 12 selected fiction and documentary feature film projects in post-production or late production stage from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa.

Showcased projects:
And His Brothers
Lucky Girl
Destiny
A Long Break
More information on the projects in the Book of Projects

Interesting for: Sales agents, distributors, festival representatives, post-production co-producers.

Wednesday, August 11

14:00 – 15:15 CET
Works in Progress II
Online showcase of the second part of the 12 selected fiction and documentary feature film projects in post-production or late production stage from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa.

Showcased projects:
Aurora
An Owl, a Garden and the Writer
Unwanted
Faggots, Friends
More information on the projects in the Book of Projects

Interesting for: Sales agents, distributors, festival representatives, post-production co-producers.

Thursday, August 12

14:00 – 15:15 CET
Works in Progress III
Online showcase of the third part of the 12 selected fiction and documentary feature film projects in post-production or late production stage from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa.

Showcased projects:
Boney Piles
Victim
In the Name of the Mother and of the Father
Tina & Megi
More information on the projects in the Book of Projects

Interesting for: Sales agents, distributors, festival representatives, post-production co-producers.

Monday, August 16

14:00 CET
KVIFF Eastern Promises Online Award Ceremony
Announcement of this year's winners of Works in Progress, Works in Development - Feature Launch and First Cut+, streaming live at KVIFF.TV

One on One Meetings

All showcases will be enabled with a scheduling system for direct online One-to-one meetings.
The Industry Office will send a separate invitation with a registration link for the Wyth platform before the showcases start.