The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is launching a unique initiative for 2023/24, presenting it as a “film season”. This innovative format will encompass a cycle of ten preview screenings of premium films. The initiative rehashes the festival’s KVIFF at Your Cinema project launched during the pandemic as a replacement for the postponed edition of the gathering (see the news). In an effort to ensure a rich and diverse line-up, festival organisers have forged collaborations with multiple local film distributors, including CinemArt, Falcon, Aerofilms (which the KVIFF Group acquired in 2021 – see the news) and Vertical Entertainment. The overarching objective of this initiative is to stimulate consistent cinema attendance throughout the year and to champion quality films.

Each screening promises an enhanced experience: a red-carpet rollout in all 43 participating cinemas, along with a ceremonious introduction, broadcasted to all auditoria nationwide. Selected films will be further augmented by live-streamed, interactive dialogues with their creators. According to Kryštof Mucha, executive director of KVIFF, this venture aims to “provide audiences with a series of exceptional cinematic experiences, deepening their appreciation for quality cinema and encouraging more frequent cinema visits throughout the Czech Republic”. The festival’s artistic director, Karel Och, elucidated their ambitious selection criteria, noting that they straddle the line between audience-friendly art films and the most refined mainstream cinema. Highly anticipated titles include Ridley Scott's Napoleon and the Cannes Film Festival winner Anatomy of a Fall [+lee también:
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entrevista: Justine Triet
ficha de la película] by Justine Triet, which was screened at KVIFF, where it was very much in demand, alongside The Taste of Things [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] by Tran Anh Hung. Meanwhile, negotiations are ongoing for Dune: Part Two.

Catering to regular cinephiles, there's an option to purchase a subscription for the entire film season, similar to theatre or classical-music subscriptions. This package is priced at the equivalent of seven films, granting three additional movies as a complimentary bonus. Bio Central Cinema director Petr Vítek expressed his optimism about this concept, as he believes it will lower the barriers inhibiting frequent cinema outings. He states, “Audiences receive annual scheduling, a trusted programme and a special atmosphere. Moreover, the usual revenue share remains in the cinema, making it an excellent proposition for regional cinemas.”

KVIFF at Your Cinema kicks off tomorrow, 18 October, with Anatomy of a Fall.