The 53rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival took place from June 29 to July 7, 2018, in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
A total of 236 films were presented at the festival, including 35 world premieres, eight international and seven European premieres.
Juries The following were appointed as the juries at the 53rd edition:
Grand Jury Mark Cousins (United Kingdom) Zrinka Cvitešić (Croatia) Marta Donzelli (Italy) Zdeněk Holý (Czech Republic) Nanouk Leopold (Netherlands)
FIPRESCI Jury René Marx (France) Marita Nyrhinen (Finland) Alejandra Trelles (Uruguay)
Europa Cinemas Label Jury Daira Āboliņa (Latvia) Simon Blaas (Netherlands) Balázs Kalmanovits (Hungary) Jan Makosch (Germany)
East of the West Peter Badač (Slovakia) Iris Elezi (Albania) Myriam Sassine (Lebanon) Dounia Sichov (France) Andrei Tănăsescu (Romania)
The Ecumenical Jury Michael Otřísal (Czech Republic) Milja Radovic (United Kingdom) David Sipoš (Slovenia)
Documentary Films Raúl Camargo (Chile) M. Siam (Egypt) Diana Tabakov (Czech Republic)
Fedeora Award Ștefan Dobroiu (Romania) Natascha Drubek (Germany) Nenad Dukić (Serbia)
Official selection In competition English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Brothers Kardeşler Ömür Atay Turkey, Germany, Bulgaria Domestique Domestik Adam Sedlák Czech Republic, Slovakia Fireflies Are Gone La disparition des lucioles Sébastien Pilote Canada History of Love Zgodovina ljubezni Sonja Prosenc Slovenia, Italy, Norway I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari Radu Jude Romania, Czech Republic, France, Bulgaria, Germany Jumpman Podbrosy Ivan I. Tverdovskiy Russia, Lithuania, Ireland, France Miriam Lies Miriam miente Natalia Cabral, Oriol Estrada Dominican Republic, Spain Panic Attack Atak paniki Paweł Maślona Poland Redemption Geula Joseph Madmony, Boaz Yehonatan Yacov IsraelSueño Florianópolis Ana Katz Argentina, Brazil, France To the Night Peter Brunner Austria, United States Winter Flies Všechno bude Olmo Omerzu Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia
Highlighted title and dagger () indicates Crystal Globe winner. Highlighted title and double-dagger () indicates Special Jury Prize winner.
Out of competition English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) My Friend "A" Yuzai Takahisa Zeze JapanSupport the Girls Andrew Bujalski United States Trash on Mars Mars Benjamin Tuček Czech Republic
Another View English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Amal Mohamed Siam Egypt, Lebanon, France, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Qatar And Breathe Normally Andið eðlilega Ísold Uggadóttir Iceland Border Gräns Ali Abbasi Sweden, Denmark Boys Cry La terra dell'abbastanza Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo Italy Chris the Swiss Anja Kofmel Switzerland, Croatia, Germany, FinlandCobain Nanouk Leopold Netherlands, Belgium, GermanyDiamantino Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt Portugal, France, BrazilDonbass Sergei Loznitsa Germany, Ukraine, France, Netherlands, Romania An Elephant Sitting Still Da xiang xi di er zuo Hu Bo China Fugue Fuga Agnieszka Smoczyńska Poland, Czech Republic, Sweden The Gentle Indifference of the World Laskovoe bezrazlichie mira Adilkhan Yerzhanov Kazakhstan, France Grass Pullipdeul Hong Sang-soo South Korea The Guilty Den skyldige Gustav Möller Denmark Invasion Hojoom Shahram Mokri IranIn My Room Ulrich Köhler Germany, Italy Light Years Años Luz Manuel Abramovich Argentina, Spain, Brazil Little Tickles Les chatouilles Andréa Bescond, Eric Métayer France Lucky John Carroll Lynch United StatesNina Olga Chajdas Poland Oblivion Verses Los Versos del Olvido Alireza Khatami France, Germany, Netherlands, Chile Our Struggles Nos batailles Guillaume Senez Belgium, France Pity Oiktos Babis Makridis Greece, PolandProfile Timur Bekmambetov United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Cyprus The Queen of Fear La reina del miedo Valeria Bertuccelli, Fabiana Tiscornia Argentina, DenmarkRafiki Wanuri Kahiu Kenya A Skin So Soft Ta Peau si lisse Denis Côté Canada, Switzerland, FranceStyx Wolfgang Fischer Germany, Austria Victory Day Den' Pobedy Sergei Loznitsa Germany Virgins Ein Betulot Bakrayot Keren Ben Rafael France, Israel, Belgium
Czech Films 2017–2018 English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)Dukla 61 David Ondříček Czech Republic Insect Hmyz Jan Švankmajer Czech Republic, Slovakia The Interpreter Tlumočník Martin Šulík Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria Laika Lajka Aurel Klimt Czech Republic Markéta Wants Her Bag Markéta chce taštičku Miroslav Janek Czech Republic Nothing Like Before Nic jako dřív Lukáš Kokeš, Klára Tasovská Czech Republic Scalamare Jiří Kylián Czech Republic, Netherlands Short Cut Na krátko Jakub Šmíd Czech RepublicUniversum Brdečka Miroslav Janek Czech Republic When the War Comes Až přijde válka Jan Gebert Czech Republic, Croatia
Documentary Films English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)The Best Thing You Can Do with Your Life Zita Erffa Germany, Mexico Breaking News Mimořádná zpráva Tomáš Bojar Czech Republic Bridges of Time Laika tilti Kristine Briede, Audrius Stonys Lithuania, Latvia, EstoniaCielo Alison McAlpine Canada, ChileDream Away Marouan Omara, Johanna Domke Germany, Egypt In the Stillness of Sounds L' esprit des lieux Stéphane Manchematin, Serge Steyer France Inside Mosul V Mosulu Jana Andert Czech Republic A Little Wisdom Xiao Zhihui Yuqi Kang Canada, Nepal, China Putin's Witnesses Svideteli Putina Vitaly Mansky Latvia, Switzerland, Czech RepublicThe Swing Cyril Aris Lebanon Treasure Island L' Île au trésor Guillaume Brac FranceWalden Daniel Zimmermann Switzerland, Austria Highlighted title and dagger () indicates Best Documentary Film winner. Highlighted title and double-dagger () indicates Documentary Special Jury Prize winner.
East of the West English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 53 Wars 53 wojny Ewa Bukowska PolandAmir Nima Eghlima Iran Bear with Us Chata na prodej Tomáš Pavlíček Czech Republic Blossom Valley Virágvölgy László Csuja Hungary Breathing into Marble Kvėpavimas į marmurą Giedrė Beinoriūtė Lithuania, Latvia, Croatia Crystal Swan Khrustal Darya Zhuk Belarus, Germany, United States, Russia Deep Rivers Glubokie reki Vladimir Bitokov Russia Moments Chvilky Beata Parkanová Czech Republic, Slovakia Pause Παύση Tonia Mishiali Cyprus, Greece Suleiman Mountain Suleiman goraElizaveta Stishova Kyrgyzstan, Russia Via Carpatia Klara Kochańska Poland, Czech Republic, North Macedonia Volcano Vulkan Roman Bondarchuk Ukraine, Germany Highlighted title and dagger () indicates East of the West winner. Highlighted title and double-dagger () indicates East of the West Special Jury Prize winner.
Future Frames: Ten New Filmmakers to Follow English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 1981 Nittonhundraåttioett Dawid Ullgren Sweden Blackjack Valet noir Lora Mure-Ravaud Switzerland Clean Čistoća Neven Samardžić Bosnia and HerzegovinaDialect David Gurgulia Georgia The Legionnaire Il leginario Hleb Papou ItalyMarica Judita Gamulin CroatiaRegained Memory Stijn Bouma Netherlands, Bosnia and Herzegovina Sweet Home Czyżewo Jakub Radej Poland Warm Comedy about Depression, Madness and Unfulfilled Dreams Hrejivá komédia o depresii, šialenstve a nesplnených snoch Michal Ďuriš Slovakia Where the Summer Goes (chapters on youth) Onde o Verão Vai (episódios da juventude) David Pinheiro Vicente Portugal
Horizons English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 3 Faces Se Rokh Jafar Panahi Iran Birds of Passage Pájaros de verano Ciro Guerra, Cristina Gallego Colombia, Denmark, Mexico BlacKkKlansman Spike Lee United StatesBurning Lee Chang-dong South KoreaClimax Gaspar Noé France Cold War Zimna wojna Paweł Pawlikowski Poland, France, United KingdomDamsel David Zellner, Nathan Zellner United States Daughter of Mine Figlia mia Laura Bispuri Italy, Germany, Switzerland Dear Son Weldi Mohamed Ben Attia Tunisia, Belgium, France, QatarDovlatov Aleksei Alekseivich German Russia, Poland, Serbia Euphoria Euforia Valeria Golino Italy Everybody Knows Todos lo saben Asghar Farhadi Spain, France, Italy Girl Lukas Dhont Belgium Good Manners As boas maneiras Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra Brazil, France Happy as Lazzaro Lazzaro Felice Alice Rohrwacher Italy, Switzerland, France, GermanyHostiles Scott Cooper United States Hunting Season Temporada de Caza Natalia Garagiola Argentina, United States, France, Germany, QatarLeave No Trace Debra Granik United States Loveling Benzinho Gustavo Passos Pizzi Brazil, Uruguay, Germany Lucia's Grace Troppa Grazia Gianni Zanasi ItalyThe Man Who Killed Don Quixote Terry Gilliam Spain, Belgium, Portugal, United KingdomThe Miseducation of Cameron Post Desiree Akhavan United States Museum Museo Alonso Ruizpalacios MexicoNico, 1988 Susanna Nicchiarelli Italy, BelgiumThe Parting Glass Stephen Moyer United States Rainbow: A Private Affair Una questione privata Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Italy, FranceRiver's Edge Isao Yukisada Japan Season of the Devil Ang Panahon ng Halimaw Lav Diaz Philippines Summer Leto Kirill Serebrennikov Russia, FranceSweet Country Warwick Thornton AustraliaTouch Me Not Adina Pintilie Romania, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, France To the Ends of the World Les confins du monde Guillaume Nicloux France, China, Belgium Utøya: July 22 Utøya 22. juli Erik Poppe NorwayWajib Annemarie Jacir Palestine, France, Germany, Colombia, Norway, Qatar, United Arab Emirates The Wild Pear Tree Ahlat Agaci Nuri Bilge Ceylan Turkey, France, Germany, BulgariaWildlife Paul Dano United States The World Is Yours Le Monde est à toi Romain Gavras FranceZama Lucrecia Martel Argentina, Brazil, Spain, France, Netherlands, Mexico, Portugal, United States
Imagina English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)11 × 14 James Benning United StatesArt and Theft Sara Magenheimer United StatesBlack Mother Khalik Allah United States, JamaicaCaniba Verena Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor FranceElegy Louis Rizzo-Naudi United Kingdom Endless Tail Beskrajni rep Željka Suková Croatia Flame Polte Sami van Ingen FinlandForest Paths Michiel van Bakel Netherlands Government House Haus der RegierungHerwig Weiser Austria, RussiaThe Green Fog Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson Canada, United StatesImperial Valley (cultivated run-off) Lukas Marxt Germany, AustriaPhantom Ride Phantom Siegfried A. Fruhauf AustriaReflections in the Dust Luke Sullivan AustraliaRide Like Lightning, Crash Like Thunder Fern Silva United StatesSleep Has Her House Scott Barley United Kingdom★ Johann Lurf Austria
Made in Texas: Tribute to Austin Film Society English title Original title Director(s) Production countrie(s)1985 Yen Tan United StatesComputer Chess Andrew Bujalski United StatesDeath of a Rock Star Tom Huckabee, Will Van Overbeek United States Dried Meat Carne seca Jazmin Diaz United StatesEl Mariachi Robert Rodriguez United StatesFair Sisters Missy Boswell, Edward Lowry, Louis Black United StatesInvasion of the Aluminum People David Boone United StatesKid-Thing David Zellner United StatesLast Night at the Alamo Eagle Pennell United StatesLeonardo, Jr. Lorrie Oshatz United StatesMask of Sarnath Neil Ruttenberg United StatesPioneer David Lowery United StatesThe Rabbit Hunt Patrick Bresnan United StatesSkunk Annie Silverstein United StatesSlacker Richard Linklater United StatesThe Slow Business of Going Athina Rachel Tsangari Greece, United StatesSomebody Up There Likes Me Bob Byington United StatesSpeed of Light Brian Hansen United StatesTake Shelter Jeff Nichols United StatesThe Unforeseen Laura Dunn United States
Midnight Screenings