The 55th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will be held from August 20-28, organizers have confirmed today while revealing a new poster for the annual fest. Continuing a theme following recent festival posters, it’s a fittingly minimal look.
The 2021 poster, which features a pair of curious eyes in the shape of festival edition “55”, was designed by Jakub Spurný and Aleš Najbrt of Prague-based Studio Najbrt.
“They are the eyes of the festival, the eyes of filmmakers and, above all, the audience,” Najbrt said at a press conference on Tuesday.
“We wanted them to be the eyes of curious [spectators] enjoying the darkened halls of cinemas, which we all look forward to.”
While cinemas in the country remain closed through mid-May, exhibitors are hoping to be able to reopen in the coming weeks as restrictions are gradually relaxed. The August KVIFF dates give organizers time to plan a festival that fits in line with previous editions, as the Czech Republic slowly eases its Covid-19 regulations heading into the summer.
The 2020 edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival was ultimately cancelled, while a half-fest scheduled for November was also canned during the second wave of the epidemic.
“Our decision to take this step was made after consulting with experts and upon a careful consideration of the current situation,” KVIFF executive director Kryštof Mucha states through a press release.
“We hope that the coming months will see a significant increase in vaccinations, thanks to which the pandemic will be brought under control, thus allowing us to hold the Karlovy Vary festival in a form that will be maximally safe for guests and visitors. Naturally, we are ready to observe all applicable regulations.”
The shift in dates also positions this year’s Karlovy Vary film fest in line with other film festivals across Europe. This year’s Cannes festival was pushed from May to July, overlapping the traditional KVIFF dates. The Karlovy Vary festival will also directly precede the 2021 Venice film fest, to be held from September 1-11.
Organizers stress that the shift in dates for 2021 is only a temporary change.
“Moving the dates of the 55th festival does not mean a long-term change in the Karlovy Vary festival’s traditional slot, the festival’s 56th edition will return to its usual time, meaning from 1 to 9 July 2022,” says KVIFF artistic director Karel Och.
