S Viswanath

From reputed filmmakers to renowned actress, the crème la crème stars of entertainment coliseum that have made a mark on the show business with their repertoire of creative works and performances are started to assemble to celebrate cinemas for the next nine days as the 59^th Edition of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival gets underway.

What is a film festival without the prima dona stars and their magnetic pull power and much feted filmmakers whose reputation and accoladed offerings are the main stay that warm the cockles of cinephiles without whom the festivities are as good as being at a solemn funereal gloom.

Of course, if stars and their makers are in attendance, then awards and felicitating them are the order of the day to fete their glorious contribution to the growth, appreciation and sustained survival of the Seventh Art form.

So festival attendees will get to witness actresses Dakota Johnson and Vicky Krieps being bestowed the KVIFF President’s Award to accept and receive which the two will be there in person and share their success stories with the admirers and cine buffs.

Likewise, as is the practice, the KVIFF will also see an impressive school of renowned films’ creators trooping in large delegations to not only give their fan following much to cheer about but also present their films before the august gatherings that assemble to participate in the film festival.

Marking their presence to present their films will be French actress Camille Cottin, Hungarian director Bence Fliegauf, American filmmaker Max Walker-Silverman, the Ukrainian film director Mstyslav Chernov, American director, actor, and screenwriter Jay Duplass, Ukraine’s celebrated filmmaker Sergei Vladimirovich Loznitsa or Serhii Volodymyrovych Loznytsia,Georgian women director Dea Kulumbegashvili, Argentinian actor Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Italian actor Valerio Mastandrea and last, but not the least, Cornish director Mark Jenkin from UK.

Dakota Johnson, besides receiving the KVIFF President’s Award will mark the occasion to present her two latest films she is currently appearing in – the 2025 romantic comedy full of provocative chaos Splitsvilledirected by Michael Angelo Covino), which she also produced under TeaTime Pictures banner, and the romantic comedy Materialists, an exploration of a somewhat toxic relationship triangle by one of today’s most lauded directors, Celine Song which has co-stars Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. Dakota Johnson will receive the KVIFF President’s Award before the screening of Materialists on July 6 at 10.30pm in the Grand Hall of the Hotel Thermal.

Incidentally, much followed actress Dakota Johnson continues her family’s multigenerational acting tradition, represented by her grandmother Tippy Hedren and her parents, award-winning Hollywood stars Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson.

Having made her debut was at the tender age ten, when she appeared in Crazy in Alabama (1999, by the Spanish actor Jose Antonio Dominguez Bandera, known professionally as Antonio Banderas).

Embarking upon a professional acting career saw her appear in the 2010, American film director David Fincher’s The Social Network, which earned her and the entire cast best ensemble awards from the Hollywood Film Awards, the Phoenix Film Critics Society, and the 2011 Palm Springs Film Festival.

Worldwide popularity came with film adaptation of E L James’“Fifty Shades” trilogy – Fifty Shades of Grey (2015 by Sam Taylor-Johnson), Fifty Shades Darker (2017, by James Foley), and Fifty Shades Freed (2018, also by James Foley).

As awards and accolades followed her upon the impressive performances she gave in her films, saw Dakota Johnson take to film production to launch Tea Time Pictures in 2019, with her producing partner Ro Donnelly, to produce the comedy Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022, Cooper Raiff), Am I OK? (2022, Stephanie Allynne and Tig Notaro), and the recent drama Daddio (2023, Christy Hall), based on the emotional, concentrated dialogue of two randomly connected people, played by Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn.

Likewise, winner of the European Film Award for Best Actress in the biopic Corsage, whose performance was also appreciated at Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, the Luxembourg born actress Vicky Krieps will also receive the KVIFF President’s Award.

Recognised for her exceptional acting talents, Vicky Krieps, saw her formative years as actress while at Lycée de Garçons Secondary School in Luxembourg City, followed with Luxembourg Conservatory.

School at Zurich University of Arts  as an actress saw her simultaneously gaining hands-on experience at Schauspielhaus Zürich, with international renown coming in 2017, when she appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson’s romantic drama Phantom Thread.

Besides The Girl In The Spider’s Web (by Fede Álvarez), saw her performance in French director Mathieu Almaric’s 2021 film Hold Me Tight nominated for a César, thereafter playing the pivotal role in M Night Shyamalan’s mystery-thriller Old, with another leading role, alongside Tim Roth, in Bergman Island (Mia Hansen-Løve), and a cameo in Daniel Brühl’s Next Door (2021), featured at previous year’s Karlovy Vary film festival.

Her performance as rebellious Empress Sisi in Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage (2022) fetched her several awards including the Best Actress Award in Un Certain Regard and Best Actress at the European Film Awards.

A period costume for both parts of celebrated adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers (2023, Martin Bourboulon), saw Karlovy Vary audiences entertained at last year’s festival as free-thinking Vivienne in Viggo Mortensen’s western drama The Dead Don’t Hurt (2023). She also played the titular role in director Margarethe von Trotta’s biopic Ingeborg Bachmann: Journey into the Desert (2023), which was shown at the Berlinale.

The Un Certain Regard at this year’s Cannes Film Festival included her Love Me Tender (2025Anna Cazenave Cambet), based on the book and story of Constance Debré, where Krieps portrays Clémence, a former lawyer who navigates a custody battle over her son after coming out as a lesbian.

Later this year she is set to appear alongside Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver as part of an all-star cast in Jim Jarmusch’s latest outing, Father, Mother, Sister, Brother .

On the occasion of honouring Vicky Krieps with President’s Award, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will be screening Love Me Tender.

The festival’s Crystal Globe Competition, whose tradition sees the premieres are introduced by the respective film creators will see Out of Love presented by film’s star, French actress Camille Cottin, whom audiences will recognise from the series Call My Agent! (2015) or films like Allied (2016, Robert Zemeckis) and House of Gucci (2021, Ridley Scott).

Hungarian director Bence Fliegauf, winner of Silver Bear at the Berlinale, will be on hand for the world premiere of his evocative cinematic vision Jimmy Jaguar. The international premiere of Rebuilding will be presented by Max Walker-Silverman, who returns to Karlovy Vary three years after coming to town with his feature film debut A Love Song, presented in the Horizons Section in 2022.

The maudlin, moving, and mirthful The Love That Remains –story of fading love and dissolution of a marriage which saw successful world premiere was at Cannes Film Festival – will be personally introduced by Icelandic Director Hlynur Pálmason.

Mexican Director Michel Franco returns to Karlovy Vary after just one year to present his provocative love story of a Mexican dancer and successful American philanthropist, Dreams, starring Jessica Chastain in the role of the philanthropist, which had its world premiere at this year’s Berlinale.

Mstyslav Chernov, winner of Pulitzer Prize and Oscar for his 20 Days in Mariupol, will present his latest documentary, 2000 Metres to Andriivka, the radical film which rewrites the definition of war documentary.

The historical drama Two Prosecutors, which had its world premiere in the main competition in Cannes, will be introduced by director Sergei Loznitsa.

American director, actor, and screenwriter Jay Duplass will accompany the screening of the comedy The Baltimorons, which was an audience favourite at SXSW festival.

Paolo Genovese, known for directing original, intelligent, and exceptionally popular films such as Perfect Strangers and Superheroes, presents his latest romantic comedy Madly.

Georgian Director Dea Kulumbegashvili will introduce her second feature April an unflinching drama, which won her Special Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival.

Argentinian actor Nahuel Perez Biscayart named Best Actor at 2014 Karlovy Vary festival for his performance in All Yours (David Lambert) and received a César Award for his role in 120 BPM (Robin Campillo), returns with Kill The Jockey (Luis Ortega).

Italian actor Valerio Mastandrea whose appearances in Viva la Liberta (2013, Roberto Andò) and Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy (2012, Marco Tullio Giordana), wowed the local audiences, will present Feeling Better, which he has directed and plays the main role.

Director Mark Jenkin, whose previous film Enys Men was a revelation at 2022 Cannes Film Festival, returns to Karlovy Vary for the world premiere of his short film I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash, being shown in the Imagina Section.

S VISWANATH is a veteran film critic who officiates as JURY at several National & International Film Festivals. He deputises as CHIEF CINEMA CURATOR/PROGRAMMER & CREATIVE ADVISOR for Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes). He also curates & advises on the selection of shorts & documentaries for Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF). Mr Viswanath is the author of “RANDOM REFLECTIONS: A Kaleidoscopic Musings on Kannada Cinema”.