The 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival concluded on Saturday with the Crystal Globe awarded to Better Go Mad in the Wild, a Slovak-Czech documentary directed by Miro Remo. The film, a portrait of two eccentric twin brothers living in rural isolation, impressed the jury with its raw depiction of life on society’s margins.
The prize, which includes a $25,000 (about CZK 525,000) award shared between the director and producer, was presented by festival executive director Kryštof Mucha, artistic director Karel Och, and actor Stellan Skarsgård. Skarsgård also received an honorary Crystal Globe for his outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema during the festival’s closing ceremony.
Top awards reflect diversity of form and theme
Better Go Mad in the Wild stood out in a competition that featured 12 international titles, blending documentary realism with emotional depth. Director Remo’s lens captured the strained yet enduring bond between reclusive twin brothers who have chosen to live on a dilapidated farm, removed from modern life. The jury praised the film for its “authenticity and unflinching perspective.”
Two directors were jointly honored for Best Director: French filmmaker Nathan Ambrosioni for Out of Love, a drama noted for its emotional subtlety, and Lithuanian debutant Vytautas Katkus for The Visitor, lauded for its bold creative approach.
The Jury Prize, worth $15,000, went to Bidad, an Iranian film by Soheil Beiraghi. The jury commended the film’s bravery in addressing repression in Iran and its reflection of the courage needed to produce such work. Beiraghi used his acceptance speech to honor the bravery of Iranian women.
Norwegian actress Pia Tjelta received Best Actress honors for Don’t Call Me Mom, a psychological drama by Nina Knag, while Spanish actor Alex Brendemühl won Best Actor for his role in When the River Becomes a Sea, portraying a grieving father navigating the aftermath of a sexual assault.
Kateřina Falbrová was given a Special Mention for her understated performance in Broken Voices, a Czech-Slovak production directed by Ondřej Provazník. The Audience Award went to the opening film We’ve Got to Frame It! (a conversation with Jiří Bartoška in July 2021), a documentary on the late Jiří Bartoška, the long-time festival president who passed away in May.
Honors highlight global cinema and a farewell to Bartoška
The festival’s Proxima competition, dedicated to emerging voices and experimental formats, awarded its Grand Prize to Sand City, a film by Bangladeshi director Mahde Hasan. The Jury Prize in the same section went to Colombian filmmaker Federico Atehortúa Arteaga’s Maps of the Disappeared, examining violence and economic exploitation in Latin America. A Special Mention was awarded to Belgian road movie Before and After, by Manoël Dupont.
Beyond the competition, the festival paid tribute to legendary figures in global and Czech cinema. Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, in Karlovy Vary to present Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, received the festival’s highest honor for lifetime achievement. Skarsgård, 74, is widely acclaimed for roles ranging from Good Will Hunting to Chernobyl and Dune. He used his platform to speak critically about militarization in Europe and Sweden’s NATO membership.
Editor Jiří Brožek received the President’s Award for his lifetime contribution to Czech cinema. Known for his work with directors like Jiří Menzel and Karel Kachyňa, Brožek has cut more than 100 films and remains the most awarded editor in Czech film history.
This year’s festival marked a turning point, being the first since 1994 without Jiří Bartoška at the helm. His death in May cast a shadow over the event, but many—including host Marek Eben—emphasized how Bartoška’s legacy of joy and cinematic passion carried the spirit of the festival forward.
The 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is scheduled for July 3–11, 2026.
