Karlovy Vary Film Fest Awards Go to ‘Fruit Gathering,’ ‘The Guest,’ ‘Lover, Not a Fighter’ and ‘Incinerator’
The 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) has announced its award winners, with Aung Phyoe's Fruit Gathering taking the top prize, the Grand Prix — Crystal Globe, at the closing ceremony. The jury praised the film as a meditative portrait of work and friendship that evolves into a drama of obsession and queer desire, marking a notable moment for the milestone anniversary edition of one of central Europe's leading film festivals.
Mads Mengel's The Guest, a Danish party-gone-wrong drama starring Trine Dyrholm, won both the Special Jury Prize and best director, with the jury and reviewers drawing comparisons to the acclaimed film Festen (The Celebration). Other main competition honours went to Anna Schinz for best actress in the Swiss drama A Happy Family, and Ghassan Saad for best actor in the Lebanese film Pipes, while Bára — Diary of a Rockstar won the Právo Audience Award. In the fifth edition of the Proxima competition, which spotlights bold work by emerging and established filmmakers, Slovak director Martina Buchelová's Lover, Not a Fighter won the Grand Prix and Japanese director Shuntaro Uchida's Incinerator received the Special Jury Prize.
In short
- 'Fruit Gathering' won the top Crystal Globe at KVIFF's 60th edition.
- 'The Guest' took Special Jury Prize and best director.
- 'Lover, Not a Fighter' won the Proxima competition's Grand Prix.
Explained simply
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is one of Europe's most prestigious annual film festivals, held in the Czech Republic. It is recognised as one of central Europe's leading events for international cinema, attracting film submissions and industry attention from across the world.
Film festival awards carry significant weight in the industry because they generate attention for films and filmmakers, and can facilitate wider distribution and international recognition. Karlovy Vary in particular has earned a strong reputation as a platform for discovering new talent and showcasing cinema from diverse regions and perspectives.
This edition marks the festival's 60th anniversary, reflecting its long history as a champion of filmmaking innovation and a supporter of both emerging and established directors. The festival presents awards across various categories to recognise outstanding achievements in different aspects of filmmaking.
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