Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) 2027

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is one of the oldest film festivals in the world and the leading cinematic event in Central and Eastern Europe. Its main hub is Hotel Thermal, where the core program — the feature film competition — takes place. Screenings, seminars and public events fill the spa town each summer, drawing international guests and thousands of visitors.

The program reaches far beyond the main competition: East of the West showcases films from the former socialist bloc, a documentary competition splits entries by length, Horizons and Another View present remarkable contemporary films, and Imagina highlights unconventional storytelling. Out of the Past screens restored classics, while retrospectives and an overview of the past year's Czech cinema add further depth. Seminars focused on European cinema are a regular part of the festival.

The festival has weathered major changes, from alternating with the Moscow festival to a near-cancellation after the Velvet Revolution before eventually being refounded. Its 80th edition was celebrated with a 10-minute multimedia drone performance — the largest drone show ever staged in the Czech Republic.