The Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s Industry Days program is experiencing a transformative year, reflecting broader shifts within the film industry. For 2023, the program is extending its duration and placing a keen focus on Central Europe, updating its Eastern Promises platform to better align with current industry dynamics. This pivotal moment highlights the theme of transition as the festival adopts a more comprehensive approach, incorporating developments in series and television as part of its revitalized agenda.
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Embracing Change: An Expanded Program
This year’s Industry Days are set to run from July 6-9, adding an extra day to accommodate new initiatives. Hugo Rosák, head of the industry’s office, describes this shift as a welcome departure from routine, emphasizing the importance of staying relevant within an evolving ecosystem. “We are all part of a certain ecosystem, and within that ecosystem, we play a role,” Rosák explains. The program’s expansion includes a fresh emphasis on Central Europe’s creative landscape.
Introducing the Central Stage Showcase
One of the most significant changes is the replacement of the traditional Works in Progress pitches with the Central Stage showcase. This initiative, developed in collaboration with national film institutes from countries like Austria, Czech Republic, and Hungary, centers on interactive discussions focused on the region’s co-production landscape. Rosák acknowledges that the old pitch sessions were losing traction and that this new approach aims to reinvigorate engagement and relevance.
“Our experience over the past years has shown a stronger and stronger decline in how our audience attended some of the works in progress showcases,” says Rosák. The festival recognized the need to adapt to the post-COVID industry landscape and shifting project development dynamics, which informed this strategic pivot.
Venturing into Television and Series
Reflecting a broader industry trend, the festival is also expanding into series and television content. In partnership with Central European Media Enterprises, the program includes showcases and workshops dedicated to small-screen storytelling. A standout event is the Pop Up Series Incubator, an innovative platform designed to support European producers through an eight-month development journey culminating in a pitching session at the festival.
“For us, it’s a new path but a very logical one,” Rosák explains, underscoring the importance of cross-media collaboration in today’s creative sectors. This shift allows the festival to remain a hub for Central Europe while addressing the industry’s evolving needs.
Navigating Industry Transitions
These innovations are unfolding amid broader changes in the Czech Republic’s audiovisual sector, including updates to laws encompassing series and games. Rosák underscores the industry’s transitional phase, emphasizing the need for adaptability: “Responding to this transition open-mindedly and willing to accept different ways and not dwelling on tradition is the way to help us move better and faster towards being relevant.”