Didn’t make it to Karlovy Vary? Šary Vary brings the festival to you

If you missed Czechia’s premier film festival in Karlovy Vary this week, you’re in luck. Šary Vary, the official festival echoes, brings the excitement and storytelling of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) directly to local cinemas in Prague and Brno from July 14 to 20.

This year’s Šary Vary begins with a screening of the newly crowned winner of the KVIFF Grand Prix at Prague’s Kino Světozor. Showings will take place at the city’s top arthouse cinemas—Aero, Přítomnost, and Světozor—as well as Brno’s open-air venue, Scalní letňák Janáček. The lineup includes a mix of international hits and new Czech talent, highlighting titles that are generating Oscar buzz and others that might not reach Czech distribution beyond this moment.

“We mainly select films from the Horizons section, which features standout titles from other major festivals around the world,” says Jana Trnková, a programmer for Šary Vary and director of cinemas Světozor and Lucerna. “Some will likely become audience favorites, or even Oscar contenders, but might not otherwise screen in Czech cinemas.”

Among this year’s most awaited titles is Sirat, Oliver Laxe’s captivating journey through the desert, and Sound of Falling by German director Mascha Schilinski, a generational saga that won the Jury Prize at Cannes. Prague cinemas will also show Dreams by Norwegian filmmaker Dag Johan Haugerud and A Minor Accident by acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi.

One title with emotional pull is The Love the Remains by Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason, a haunting portrait of a failing relationship. For something more bittersweet, check out Sorry, Baby, Eva Victor’s darkly comic debut, or the Italian romantic comedy Madly by Paolo Genovese.

Another highlight is Deaf, a debut from Spanish director Eva Libertad that provides a unique and personal view of life in the deaf community.

Šary Vary isn’t only about global cinema, it’s also a chance to discover new Czech and Slovak filmmakers. One of the most discussed Czech films this year is Broken Voices (Sbormistr) by Ondřej Provazník, which received a standing ovation in Karlovy Vary.

Set in the early 1990s, the psychological drama follows 13-year-old Karolína, a talented singer who faces the strict and sometimes dangerous dynamics of a world-famous girls’ choir. The story echoes real-life scandals like the Bambini di Praga, offering a stark look at the clash of innocence and authority.

The director and lead actress Maya Kintera will join a post-screening Q&A at Kino Přítomnost on July 17.

Other local highlights include Summer School, 2001 by Duzan Duong, premiering on July 18 at Kino Aero with a Vietnamese street food pop-up from MamaM Bistro, and Caravan by Zuzana Kirchnerová, the story of a mother-son road trip that was a hit at Cannes, screening in both Prague and Brno with special guest appearances.

While Šary Vary captures indie spirit, there’s some Hollywood glam too. One of this year’s Karlovy Vary headliners, Materialists, stars festival guest Dakota Johnson as a high-end matchmaker navigating love and power in New York. Directed by Celine Song (Past Lives), the film also features Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal in a thoughtful take on modern love and the illusion of control. The film is already generating awards buzz.

Šary Vary runs from July 14 to 20 in Prague at Aero, Světozor, and Přítomnost cinemas, and in Brno at Scalní letňák Janáček. Tickets are available now via www.saryvary.cz.