Karlovy Vary Film Festival hosts Juliette Binoche, Jeffrey Wright and Kevin Bacon

The 60th International Karlovy Vary Film Festival opened on 9 July 2026 with a slate of high‑profile screenings and special guests. French actress Juliette Binoche arrived in Karlovy Vary to present three of her films – V nás, Verná kópia and the new colour‑trilogy entry Three Colours : Blue – and received the festival’s Crystal Globe for her contribution to world cinema.

American actor Jeffrey Wright was honoured with the President’s Award and introduced his biopic Basquiat, covering the life of the iconic painter. Kevin Bacon attended with his family and debuted the horror‑comedy Family Film, a project he co‑directed with his wife Kyra Sedgwick.

The programme also featured the return of the cult documentary Šeptej after 30 years, a presidential appearance by Czech President Petr Pavel, and a competitive segment where Czech singer Bára Basiková topped the audience‑voted Documentary Award. Magda Vášáryová received a special award for her contribution to Czechoslovak film. The festival’s Horizon section screened the documentary Last Summit about the K2 mountain.

Overall, the event highlighted a mix of new releases, retrospectives and awards, drawing international stars and reinforcing Karlovy Vary’s status as a major cultural hub in Central Europe.