Introduction to KVIFF 2025 Eastern Promises Industry Winners
The Karlovy 2025 Variable International Film Festival (KVIFF) has announced its winners in the Eastern Promises industry department. This prestigious festival recognizes and rewards outstanding film and series projects from around the world.
Winners of the Eurimages Co-Production Development Awards
The Eurimages Co-Production Development Awards went to two exceptional projects: Battalion Records from Romania, directed by Stefan Bitu-Studoran and produced by Diana Caravia, and Vacuum from Ukraine, directed by Yelizaveta Smith and produced by Eugene Rachkovsky. Both projects received a €20,000 award.
Battalion Records: A Brave Debut
Battalion Records is an absurd satire that follows a group of young artists who stage a cultural revolution by kidnapping the oldest music studio in Romania. The jury praised the film, calling it "a brave debut that confronts the decay of culture."
Vacuum: Exploring Loss and Identity
Vacuum, on the other hand, tells the story of a young archaeologist who returns to her hometown to sell her missing father’s apartment, only to have her plans changed by the past and present. The jury noted that the film "examines the universal effects of loss and how absence influences identities and communities."
Other Award Winners
Other notable award winners include:
- Disease History, a Croatian comedy that received the €10,000 Center & Kviff Development Award
- Soyboy, a UK feature film that received the Marche du Film Producers Network Award
- Democracy: Working, a Hungary-Czech Republic-Germany title that received a brand prize
Incubator Program and Pop-up Series
The Incubator program presented five series during the KVIFF industry, including Angelsmacher from Romania, based on the true story of the angel makers of Nagyrev. The Pop-up series incubator projects also showcased a range of exciting new series, including Erotic Life of Superheroes and The Night of the Beguines.
Conclusion
The KVIFF 2025 Eastern Promises industry department has recognized and rewarded some of the most exciting and innovative film and series projects from around the world. With its support structures and curated selection of projects, the festival aims to help producers and investors unlock co-financing opportunities and bring these exceptional projects to life.
Full List of Winners
- Eurimages Co-Production Development Awards: Battalion Records (Romania) and Vacuum (Ukraine)
- Center & Kviff Development Award: Disease History (Croatia)
- Marche du Film Producers Network Award: Soyboy (UK) and Democracy: Working (Hungary-Czech Republic-Germany)
- Cottbus Award: Radio Amateur (Poland)
- Rotterdam Lab Award: Ondrej Lukes, producer of Uneasy (Czech Republic)
- KVIFF -TALENTS: Nameless (Czech Republic), Spiritual Chic (Czech Slovakia), and Burnout (Czech Republic)
- Series: Mold (Czech Republic), Lost Boys (Czech Republic), and Remake (Czech Republic)
- Guest Project: A Victory (She)
- Pop-up Series Incubator Projects: Angelsmacher (Romania), Erotic Life of Superheroes (France), The Night of the Beguines (France), The Three Burials of Irma (Greece), and Therapies (Lithuania)
