# 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival took place from August 20 to August 28, 2021, in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
A total of 144 films were presented at the festival, including 29 world premieres, twelve international and two European premieres. Serbian-French-Luxembourgish-Bulgarian-Lithuanian co-produced film As Far as I Can Walk won the Crystal Globe. The festival paid tributes to Jan Svěrák and Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation.

## Juries

The following were appointed as the juries at the 55th edition:

## Official selection
### Crystal Globe

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
| As Far as I Can Walk † | Strahinja Banović | Stefan Arsenijević | Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania |
| At Full Throttle | Láska pod kapotou | Miro Remo | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| Bird Atlas | Atlas ptáků | Olmo Omerzu | Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia |
| Boiling Point | Boiling Point | Philip Barantini | United Kingdom |
| Every Single Minute ‡ | Každá minuta života | Erika Hníková | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| The Exam | Ezmûn | Shawkat Amin Korki | Germany, Iraq, Qatar |
| The Land of the Sons | La terra dei figli | Claudio Cupellini | Italy |
| Nö | Nö | Dietrich Brüggemann | Germany |
| Le Prince | Le Prince | Lisa Bierwirth | Germany |
| Saving One Who Was Dead | Zpráva o záchraně mrtvého | Václav Kadrnka | Czech Republic, Slovakia, France |
| The Staffroom | Zbornica | Sonja Tarokić | Croatia |
| Wars | Guerres | Nicolas Roy | Canada |
    Highlighted title and dagger (†) indicates Crystal Globe winner.
    Highlighted title and double-dagger (‡) indicates Special Jury Prize winner.

### East of the West

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
| After the Winter | Poslije zime | Ivan Bakrač | Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia |
| Dear Ones | Bliscy | Grzegorz Jaroszuk | Poland, Czech Republic |
| Intensive Life Unit | Jednotka intenzivního života | Adéla Komrzý | Czech Republic |
| Mirrors in the Dark | Zrcadla ve tmě | Šimon Holý | Czech Republic |
| Nuuccha † | Nuuccha † | Vladimir Munkuev | Russia |
| Otar's Death | Otar's Death | Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze | Georgia, Germany, Lithuania |
| Patchwork | Patchwork | Petros Charalambous | Cyprus, Israel, Slovenia |
| Roots | Koreni | Tea Lukač | Serbia |
| Runner | Bėgikė | Andrius Blaževičius | Lithuania, Czech Republic |
| Sisterhood ‡ | Sestri | Dina Duma | North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro |
| Two Ships | Marťanské lodě | Jan Foukal | Czech Republic, Norway |
| Wild Roots | Külön falka | Hajni Kis | Hungary, Slovakia |
    Highlighted title and dagger (†) indicates East of the West winner.
    Highlighted title and double-dagger (‡) indicates East of the West Special Jury Prize winner.

### Special Screenings

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
| Brighton 4th | Brighton 4th | Levan Koguashvili | Georgia, Russia, Bulgaria, United States, Monaco |
| Dreams About Stray Cats | Sny o toulavých kočkách | David Sís | Czech Republic, USA, France |
| My Sunny Maad | Moje slunce Mad | Michaela Pavlátová | Czech Republic, France, Slovakia |
| The Party and the Guests | O slavnosti a hostech | Jan Němec | Czechoslovakia |
| RapStory | RapStory | Šimon Šafránek | Czech Republic |
| Reconstruction of Occupation | Rekonstrukce okupace | Jan Šikl | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| Roaring 20's | Années 20 | Elisabeth Vogler | France |
| Suspicion | Podezření | Michal Blaško | Czech Republic, France |
| Zátopek | Zátopek | David Ondříček | Czech Republic, Slovakia |

### Horizons

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
| Ahed's Knee | Haderek | Nadav Lapid | France, Israel, Germany |
| Ali & Ava | Ali & Ava | Clio Barnard | United Kingdom |
| All Eyes Off Me | Mishehu Yohav Mishehu | Hadas Ben Aroya | Israel |
| Amparo | Amparo | Simón Mesa Soto | Colombia, Sweden, Qatar |
| Ananda | Ananda | Stefano Deffenu | Italy |
| Apples | Mila | Christos Nikou | Greece, Poland, Slovenia |
| Babi Yar, Context | Babi Yar, Context | Sergei Loznitsa | Netherlands, Ukraine |
| Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn | Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc | Radu Jude | Romania, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Croatia |
| Ballad of a White Cow | Ghasideyeh gave sefid | Behtash Sanaeeha, Maryam Moghaddam | Iran, France |
| Benedetta | Benedetta | Paul Verhoeven | France, Netherlands |
| Best Sellers | Best Sellers | Lina Roessler | Canada, United Kingdom |
| Between Two Worlds | Ouistreham | Emmanuel Carrère | France |
| A Chiara | A Chiara | Jonas Carpignano | Italy, France |
| Commitment Hasan | Bağlılık Hasan | Semih Kaplanoğlu | Turkey |
| Compartment No. 6 | Hytti nro 6 | Juho Kuosmanen | Finland, Germany, Estonia, Russia |
| Conference | Konferentsiya | Ivan I. Tverdovskiy | Russia, Estonia, United Kingdom, Italy |
| Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan | Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan | Julien Temple | United Kingdom, Ireland |
| The Dawn | Zora | Dalibor Matanić | Croatia |
| Drive My Car | Doraibu mai kâ | Ryûsuke Hamaguchi | Japan |
| The Employer and the Employee | El empleado y el patrón | Manuel Nieto Zas | Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, France |
| Even Mice Belong in Heaven | Myši patří do nebe | Denisa Grimmová, Jan Bubeníček | Czech Republic, France, Poland, Slovakia |
| Feathers | Feathers | Omar El-Zohairy | France, Egypt, Netherlands, Greece |
| First Reformed | First Reformed | Paul Schrader | United States |
| Flee | Flee | Jonas Poher Rasmussen | Denmark, France, Sweden, Norway |
| The Furnace | The Furnace | Roderick MacKay | Australia |
| Ghosts | Hayaletler | Azra Deniz Okyay | Turkey, France, Qatar |
| A Glitch in the Matrix | A Glitch in the Matrix | Rodney Ascher | United States |
| Hit the Road | Jadde Khaki | Panah Panahi | Iran |
| Hive | Zgjoi | Blerta Basholli | Kosovo, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Albania |
| The House Arrest | Delo | Alexey German Jr. | Russia |
| Introduction | Inteurodeoksyeon | Hong Sang-soo | South Korea |
| The Intruder | El prófugo | Natalia Meta | Argentina, Mexico |
| Lamb | Dýrið | Valdimar Jóhannsson | Iceland, Sweden, Poland |
| Laurent Garnier: Off the Record | Laurent Garnier: Off the Record | Gabin Rivoire | United Kingdom, Belgium |
| Love Affair(s) | Les choses qu'on dit, les choses qu'on fait | Emmanuel Mouret | France |
| Luzzu | Luzzu | Alex Camilleri | Malta |
| Mariner of the Mountains | O Marinheiro das Montanhas | Karim Aïnouz | Brazil, France, Germany |
| Memoria | Memoria | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Colombia, Thailand, France, Germany, Mexico, Qatar |
| Memory Box | Memory Box | Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige | France, Lebanon, Canada, Qatar |
| Minamata | Minamata | Andrew Levitas | United States |
| Mr Bachmann and His Class | Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse | Maria Speth | Germany |
| Nadia, Butterfly | Nadia, Butterfly | Pascal Plante | France |
| Nemesis | Nemesis | Thomas Imbach | Switzerland |
| The Nest | The Nest | Sean Durkin | United Kingdom, Canada |
| Oasis | Oaza | Ivan Ikić | Serbia, Slovenia, Netherlands, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Olga | Olga | Elie Grappe | Switzerland, Ukraine, France |
| Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle | Onoda | Arthur Harari | France, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Cambodia |
| The Painted Bird | Nabarvené ptáče | Václav Marhoul | Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine |
| Paris, 13th District | Les Olympiades | Jacques Audiard | France |
| Petite Maman | Petite Maman | Céline Sciamma | France |
| El Planeta | El Planeta | Amalia Ulman | Spain |
| Pleasure | Pleasure | Ninja Thyberg | Sweden, Netherlands, France |
| Prayers for the Stolen | Noche de Fuego | Tatiana Huezo | Mexico, Germany, Brazil, Qatar |
| Quo Vadis, Aida? | Quo Vadis, Aida? | Jasmila Žbanić | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, Norway, Turkey |
| Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain | Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain | Morgan Neville | United States |
| The Sea Ahead | Albahr 'amamakum | Ely Dagher | France, Lebanon, Belgium, United States, Qatar |
| The Sparks Brothers | The Sparks Brothers | Edgar Wright | United Kingdom, United States |
| Stop-Zemlia | Stop-Zemlia | Kateryna Gornostai | Ukraine |
| Sweat | Sweat | Magnus von Horn | Poland, Sweden |
| The Tale of King Crab | Re Granchio | Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis | Italy, Argentina, France |
| Tina | Tina | T. J. Martin, Daniel Lindsay | United States |
| The Tsugua Diaries | Diários de Otsoga | Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes | Portugal, France |
| Vortex | Vortex | Gaspar Noé | France, Belgium, Monaco |
| We | Nous | Alice Diop | France |
| What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? | Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt? | Alexandre Koberidze | Germany, Georgia |
| Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy | Gûzen to sôzô | Ryusuke Hamaguchi | Japan |
| Women Do Cry | Women Do Cry | Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova | Bulgaria, France |
| The Worst Person in the World | Verdens værste menneske | Joachim Trier | Norway, France, Sweden, Denmark |
| Zanka Contact | Zanka Contact | Ismaël El Iraki | Morocco, France, Belgium |

### Imagina

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
| Come Here | Jai jumlong | Anocha Suwichakornpong | Thailand |
| Days | Rizi | Tsai Ming-liang | Taiwan |
| Last and First Men | Last and First Men | Jóhann Jóhannsson | Iceland |
| Rock Bottom Riser | Rock Bottom Riser | Fern Silva | United States |
| Taste | Vị | Lê Bảo | Vietnam, Singapore, France, Thailand, Germany |

### People Next Door

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
| Brother's Keeper | Okul Tıraşı | Ferit Karahan | Turkey, Romania |
| Capernaum | Capharnaüm | Nadine Labaki | Lebanon, France, United States |
| Little Girl | Petite fille | Sébastien Lifshitz | France |
| Shoplifters | Manbiki kazoku | Hirokazu Kore-eda | Japan |
| Summer 1993 | Estiu 1993 | Carla Simón | Spain |

### Midnight Screenings

| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production countrie(s) |
| The Green Knight | The Green Knight | David Lowery | United States |
| Impetigore | Perempuan Tanah Jahanam | Joko Anwar | Indonesia, United States, South Korea |
| Mother Schmuckers | Fils de plouc | Lenny Guit, Harpo Guit | Belgium |
| Mulholland Drive | Mulholland Drive | David Lynch | United States, France |
| Shoky & Morthy: Last Big Thing | Shoky & Morthy: Poslední velká akce | Andy Fehu | Czech Republic |
| Train to Busan 2: Peninsula | Bando | Yeon Sang-ho | South Korea |

## Awards

The following awards were presented at the 55th edition:

### Official selection awards

Grand Prix – Crystal Globe
    As Far as I Can Walk by Stefan Arsenijević
Special Jury Prize
    Every Single Minute by Erika Hníková
Best Director
    Dietrich Brüggemann for Nö
Best Actress
    Éléonore Loiselle for Wars
Best Actor
    Ibrahim Koma for As Far as I Can Walk
Special Jury Mention
    The Staffroom by Sonja Tarokić
    Vinette Robinson for her performance in Boiling Point
    Jelena Stanković for cinematography in As Far as I Can Walk

### Other statutory awards

East of the West Grand Prix
    Nuucha by Vladimir Munkuev
East of the West Special Jury Prize
    Sisterhood by Dina Duma
East of the West Special Jury Mention
    Intensive Life Unit by Adéla Komrzý
Právo Audience Award
    Zátopek by David Ondříček
Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema
    Michael Caine (Great Britain)
Festival President's Award for Contribution to Czech Cinematography
    Jan Svěrák (Czech Republic)
Festival President's Award
    Ethan Hawke (United States)

### Non-statutory awards

Award of International Film Critics (FIPRESCI)
    The Exam by Shawkat Amin Korki
The Ecumenical Jury Award
    As Far as I Can Walk by Stefan Arsenijević
Ecumenical Jury Commendation
    The Staffroom by Sonja Tarokić
FEDEORA Award
    Otar's Death by Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze
FEDEORA Jury Special Mention
    Intensive Life Unit by Adéla Komrzý
Europa Cinemas Label Award
    As Far as I Can Walk by Stefan Arsenijević