Nature must be healing because non-virtual film festivals are making a comeback. Not only is Telluride returning to Colorado this Labor Day weekend, but after a two-month delay, the 2021 Cannes Film Festival appears to be moving forward from its traditional May dates to July. The European festival that would normally fill that slot is Karlovy Vary. Today, the Czech Republic’s A-tier film festival revealed that after a one-year hiatus the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will take place in person from August 20-28. That will slot it right before the 78th Venice Film Festival.
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In a statement, the festival noted that the late August date will likely allow the event to proceed in a manner audiences are accustomed to. They are also in negotiations with a specialized testing company that would provide Covid tests for visitors and “are planning for a number of different scenarios with the aim of meeting the latest government regulations.”
The festival is also using private capital to build KVIFF.TV, an online component of the organization that will be partially used to bring the 16th Pagueshorts Film Festival to moviegoers in June. Jiří Bartoška, president of the Karlovy Vary IFF, noted, “The festival thus has the opportunity to expand existing activities such as KVIFF Distribution and to realize new projects that we have been considering for a long time.”
Additionally, the official festival poster, designed by Jakub Spurný and Aleš Najbrt of Studio Najbrt was revealed.
Traditionally, the KVIFF honors some of the premier names in film history with its Crystal Globe or Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. Over the years Morgan Freeman, Casey Affleck, Michael Shannon, Jude Law, John Malkovich, and Julianne Moore, among others, have traveled to the Czech Republic countryside for this honor. It’s unclear if talent will be willing to travel to the festival this summer even as the pandemic begins to disperse and vaccinations increase in Europe.
The 2021 Karlovy Vary Film Festival will be held August 20-28.