Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar Collaboration Among Film Projects in KVIFF Central Stage Showcase

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At its 59th annual event coming up next month, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has revealed a refined emphasis on co-productions within Central Europe for their rebranded KVIFF Central Stage exhibition. Earlier this week, they unveiled the fourteen projects from eight distinct Central European countries that will be showcased as part of this focus.

The movie projects up for grabs, offering co-production, funding, sales, distribution, or festival debuts, originate from acclaimed filmmakers with substantial festival backgrounds. These include Iran’s Nader Saeivar (The Witness), who will present a project he co-wrote with the 2025 Cannes Palme d’Or winner Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident, currently being edited by him), an adaptation of Austrian author Thomas Bernhard’s novel The Lime Works by Austria’s Andreas Horvath (Lillian), and Hungary’s László Csuja (Gentle).

These projects, at various stages of development, production, or post-production, will be highlighted through discussions about the filmmakers’ careers and possibilities for co-production across participating countries. The organizers stated that these projects will also benefit from exclusive post-production advantages through a partnership with top-tier studios UPP and Soundsquare, and will be eligible for the €20,000 ($23,000) Eurimages Co-Production Development Award.

Meanwhile, the platform KVIFF Talents, dedicated to discovering and nurturing promising Czech and Slovak filmmakers and innovative audiovisual genres, will welcome a guest project from Hungarian filmmaker István Kovács. He will present the feature-length version of his Student Academy Award-winning short film A Siege (Ostrom) at Karlovy Vary.

The new event KVIFF Central Stage, taking place on July 8, was jointly created by the KVIFF Film Industry Office and the national film institutes of eight Central European countries: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

Hugo Rosák, head of the KVIFF Industry Office, explained that this new format was developed to address a significant gap in the Central European film scene. “While emerging filmmakers often receive substantial support, mid-career filmmakers typically have fewer opportunities for visibility and financing, despite their equally compelling projects,” he said.

Here is a list of the 14 fiction film projects that will be showcased at KVIFF Central.

Rewritten

The Lime Works (Austria) – This production is helmed by Director, Scriptwriter, and Producer Andreas Horvath. It’s an adaptation of the controversial novel by Austrian author Thomas Bernhard, known for denigrating his own country. The film is both surrealist and nightmarish in nature.

Masaryk: The Coup (Czech Republic, Poland, Slovak Republic) – Director Julius Ševčík and Scriptwriter Petr Kolečko are behind this project, with production by Vanessa Biermannová and Rudolf Biermann. It’s a standalone sequel to the highly successful film ‘A Prominent Patient’ by Julius Ševčík, which premiered at Berlinale and won 12 Czech Lion Awards.

Around the Fire (Czech Republic, Netherlands, Slovak Republic) – Michal Hogenauer serves as Director and Scriptwriter for this film, with production by Marek Novák. Hogenauer is known to KVIFF audiences from previous competitions like East Meets West or Proxima. This will be his new project in development.

First Dates (Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland) – Director and Scriptwriter Šimon Holý is behind this production, with Marek Novák serving as the producer. Holý is also known to KVIFF audiences from previous competitions like East Meets West or Proxima. This will be his new project in development.

Hijamat (Germany, Turkey) – Renowned Iranian director Nader Saeivar is directing and writing this film, with production by Said Nur Akkus, Tatiana Tsyganova, and Emre Oskay. The German-funded ‘Hijamat’ is a new film by Saeivar, who won the audience award at Venice for ‘The Witness (2024)’ and best screenplay at Cannes for ‘3 Faces,’ written together with his long-term collaborator Jafar Panahi.

Some Good News (Hungary, Romania) – László Csuja is the Director and Scriptwriter for this film, with Anna Szijártó as the producer. Csuja, whose feature debut ‘Blossom Valley’ won the jury prize at KVIFF and whose sophomore feature ‘Gentle’ premiered in Sundance’s World Cinema Competition, will present his new project in development.

Democracy Work in Progress (Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany) – Director and Scriptwriter Mihály Schwechtje is behind this production, with Genovéva Petrovits as the producer. Schwechtje continues his successful legacy of exploring societal issues through personal dramas with his new project.

Starska (Poland) – Piotr Adamski is the Director and Scriptwriter for this film, with Anna Gawlita and Marta Szymanowska as the producers. Adamski, a visual artist and filmmaker, will present his new project, inspired by his late mother and the highs and lows of her bipolar disorder.

Voracious (Poland) – Jagoda Szelc is directing and writing this film based on the novel by Malgorzata Lebda. Joanna Szymańska is the producer. Szelc, whose first two films premiered at Berlinale and Rotterdam respectively, will showcase her new drama based on the eponymous novel by successful Polish writer Malgorzata Lebda.

1. Love (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Croatia) – Director Marko Škop, whose previous films have been honored at KVIFF and Toronto, is set to unveil his latest feature currently in post-production.

2. Purgatory (Slovenia, Austria) – Director Žiga Virc, known for Houston! We Have a Problem!, brings his newest project.

3. The Happiest Day (Slovenia, Norway, Italy) – Director and scriptwriter Sonja Prosenc, famous for Family Therapy, presents The Happiest Day, now in pre-production.

4. Vacuum (Ukraine) – Berlinale alumna Yelizaveta Smith represents Ukraine with Vacuum, following the premiere of her film Militantropos in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

5. Making-of (Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic) – Director and scriptwriter Ivan Tymchenko reveals his new project.

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2025-06-23 15:24