The Mosquito Net catches Grand Prix in Karlovy Vary

The grand jury, chaired by producer Ron Yerxa, awarded the Grand Prix and $30,000 to Agustí Vila’s film about a family plagued with guilt, distrust and bad behavior. The cast features Emma Suárez, Eduard Fernández, Geraldine Chaplin, Marcos Franz and Alex Batilori.

Zagreb-born director Rajko Grlić was named Best Director for his black comedy about infidelity and mortality Just Between Us. The Special Jury Award, worth $20,000, went to Czech director Jan Svěrák’s family adventure Kooky, while Danish director Nikolaj Steen’s road movie Oldboys took the Audience Award.

Cristi Puiu’s Un Certain Regard title Aurora won the festival’s East of the West Award in the competition selection of films from the former Soviet bloc, while Veiko Õunpuu’s The Temptation Of St. Tony received a Special Mention. British director Chris Morris’ satirical look at terrorism Four Lions picked up the Independent Camera award in the festival’s Forum of Independents competition.

Accreditations were down slightly, with 4,485 fewer admissions and 51 fewer screenings than the previous year, but videos on the festival’s YouTube channel received more than 45,000 views.

The star guest of the festival was Jude Law, who received the Festival President’s Award in recognition of his contribution to world cinema. Law took time out of his official schedule to attend a birthday party for Czech actor Jiří Macháček, where the two sang a karaoke duet of Johnny B. Goode.

Law spoke to journalists about his upcoming film Hugo Cabret. “I wasn’t the biggest fan of 3D, not because I wasn’t interested but because I thought it was a gimmick. But when suddenly you think of someone like Martin Scorsese … the idea of him embracing 3D is very interesting,” he said, adding: “The problem I have with 3D is I’ve never found a pair of glasses that I find comfortable.”

Selected Awards, 45th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Grand Prix - Crystal Globe: The Mosquito Net, dir. Agustí Vila

Special Jury Prize: Kooky, dir. Jan Svěrák

Best Director: Rajko Grlić for Just Between Us

Best Actress: Anaïs Demoustier for Sweet Evil

Best Actor: Mateusz Kościukiewicz and Filip Garbacz for Mother Teresa of Cats

Special Mention: Another Sky, dir. Dmitri Mamulia, and There Are Things You Don’t Know, dir. Fardin Saheb Zamani

Best Documentary (under 30 minutes): The River, dir. Julia Gruodienė, Rimantas Gruodis

Best Documentary Film (over 30 minutes): Familia, dir. Mikael Wiström, Alberto Herskovits

Special Mention: Tinar, dir. Mahdi Moniri

East of the West Award: Aurora, dir. Cristi Puiu

Special Mention: The Temptation Of St. Tony, dir. Veiko Õunpuu

Audience Award: Oldboys, dir. Nikolaj Steen

Independent Camera: Four Lions, dir. Chris Morris

Europa Cinemas Label: Just Between Us, dir. Rajko Grlić

FIPRESCI Award: Hitler In Hollywood, dir. Frédéric Sojcher

Ecumenical Jury Award: Another Sky, dir. Dmitri Mamulia

Don Quijote Prize: The Mosquito Net, dir. Agustí Vila