At the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 3–11, 2026), the Myanmar-Czech-French drama *Fallen Fruit* took home the top prize. The Ecumenical Jury honored the Cypriot film *A Lion At My Back*.
By Lukáš Jirsa*
In Karlovy Vary, the Gospel saying “the first will be last, and the last will be first” seemed to come true, quite literally. While the first film screened in the festival’s main competition—Šimon Holý’s warm-hearted Czech comedy *Chica Checa*, about coming out and the drag queen community—went home empty-handed, the last film screened in the competition, the debut drama *Fallen Fruit* by Aung Phyoe, surprisingly took home the main prize, the Crystal Globe.
“The film begins as a multi-layered and contemplative portrait of friendship growing out of a work environment, but gradually and unexpectedly transforms into a harrowing drama about obsession and queer desire,” the main jury commented on its decision. It should be added that the film is dominated by stunning cinematography that captures not only the harsh working and living conditions of Myanmar’s garment workers but also the local countryside and religious rituals. The story is told at a slower pace, primarily through imagery, with dialogue used sparingly. For the average European viewer, it will be difficult to decipher all the layers of the narrative. Behind the Czech co-production is director and educator Vít Janeček, who is also the author of the excellent documentary *Ivetka and the Mountain* (2008) about the apparition of the Virgin Mary in Slovakia. It is worth noting that the cinematographer of *Fallen Fruit*, Thaid Dhi, as well as his wife, the film’s executive producer Thu Thu Shein, both studied cinematography at Prague’s FAMU.
From among the 12 films in competition, the ecumenical jury honored the drama *A Lion At My Back* by Cypriot director Toniya Mishaili. The story of Mariama, an 18-year-old Senegalese refugee, and Stella, a 40-year-old Cypriot woman, is told through realistic imagery that is, however, enriched with dark metaphorical visions at key moments. In this ingeniously constructed story, there is an unusual reversal of roles: it is the European Stella who needs help far more, while the young migrant, despite her difficult fate, is the one who maintains a warm faith in a bright future deep within her heart. From a Christian perspective, this film has a distinctly evangelical character: Mariama becomes a clearly Christ-like figure for Stella and the other characters.
From Sweets to the Pope
The romantic comedy *May God Forgive Us All* by Sicilian director, writer, and television host Pierfrancesco Diliberto was screened to great audience acclaim at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. In this heartwarming, funny, and clever story, the main character is Arturo, a real estate agent from Palermo (portrayed by the director himself), who enjoys making videos about local sweets. That is, until he meets the charming Flora, the daughter of a famous pastry chef, with whom he has a great deal in common—except for her Catholic faith. Arturo, though Italian, has no experience with Christianity. Fortunately, however, the love-struck Arturo has a mentor who is the most qualified of all: the Pope himself.
Pierfrancesco Diliberto considers himself an agnostic, but he was deeply moved by Pope Francis’s charisma. In 2018, the Pope inspired him to write the novel *May God Forgive Everyone*, which he eventually adapted for the big screen himself. The good news is that this sun-drenched film about faith, love, pastries, and a bit of soccer may soon be coming to Czech theaters.
Silver Screen Classics
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival also offers an annual opportunity to watch films from the golden collection of world cinema. This year, for example, the festival screened the fantasy romance *A Matter of Life and Death* (1946) by the duo M. Powell and E. Pressburger, which tells the story of an American soldier forced to jump from a burning airplane. By all accounts, the pilot was supposed to die, and so he is expected in the afterlife. However, a certain “heavenly oversight” causes him to remain temporarily among the living, and because the hero manages to fall in love after falling on earth, his journey to heaven is considerably complicated due to rules of the Paradise. This witty story about the power of love showed that even 80-year-old films can resonate with audiences just as strongly as the hottest new releases.
Lukáš Jirsa
*The author is a program director at Noe TV and was a member of the ecumenical jury at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.