Nominations for the 2024 Czech Film Critics’ Awards dominated by the documentary I’m Not Everything I Want to Be

I’m Not Everything I Want to Be tied with Viktor Tauš’s Amerikánka for the most nominations for the 2024 Czech Film Critics’ Awards. The nominees also include Waves and other films shown at KVIFF 58.

I’m Not Everything I Want to Be, a unique documentary look at the personal and professional life of photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková (72), has captivated audiences and critics alike, with Czech critics choosing to nominate it in five categories: Best Film (producer Lukáš Kokeš and director Klára Tasovská), Best Documentary, Best Director (both nominations for Klára Tasovská), and the Audiovisual Achievement award and innogy Award for Newcomer of the Year. In these last two categories, the jury recognizes the editing of Alexander Kashcheev, who spent months working with Tasovská on her documentary consisting of thousands of photographs and diary entries. You can currently see I’m Not Everything I Want to Be as one of our exclusive premieres on KVIFF.TV.

Unsurprisingly, Jiří Mádl’s drama Waves earned three nominations. The film, which follows the staff of Czechoslovak Radio’s international section before and during the 1968 invasion, has enjoyed one success after another. Czech critics have nominated it for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

Director Kristina Dufková was nominated for the Audiovisual Achievement award for her artistic design of the animated film Living Large. The story of Ben, a twelve-year-old with a great love for music, food, and cooking who decides to lose weight when he falls in love with his classmate Klára, has been available exclusively on KVIFF.TV since 1 January. 

Two other films shown at KVIFF 58 were nominated in acting categories – non-actor Karel Martinec (the father of director Adam Martinec) for his performance in the raw and dramatic Our Lovely Pig Slaughter, and Oldřich Kaiser for his role as the inimitable and indominable gardener in the comic drama The Gardener’s Year by Jiří Havelka.

While films from last year’s Karlovy Vary film festival were nominated in all categories, they absolutely dominated nominations for the innogy Award for Newcomer of the Year: Besides I’m Not Everything I Want to Be, the other nominees are Living Large and Slovak director Martin Pavol Repka’s March to May, an intimate, positively laden portrait of a rural family that was shown at the festival’s Proxima competition and had its cinematic premiere in November.

A complete list of nominations for the 2024 Czech Film Critics’ Awards can be found HERE.

Czech Film Critics’ Awards will be presented at a ceremony held on 1 February 2025 at Prague’s ARCHA+ event venue. The evening will be hosted by Jan Špaček.