The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival's 60th edition announced the first recipients of KVIFF Promises, its works-in-progress market aimed at supporting Central European audiovisual production. Three feature projects received development funding from a pool of 38 submissions, with the festival framing the initiative as part of a wider effort to position the region as a significant creative hub and facilitate international co-production partnerships.

The winning projects span multiple countries and thematic concerns: a Swedish-Danish co-production examining love and displacement through conflict, a Ukrainian film centred on survival and grief in contemporary contexts, and a North Macedonian feature exploring family relationships amid environmental disruption. Festival organisers emphasised that supporting these narratives at the development stage aims to attract additional European industry participation and demonstrate the artistic capacity within Central Europe's growing film sector.