The 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will present the world premiere of Axel Bertha’s feature debut Against Nature on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Karlovy Vary. The film screens in the Proxima competition, anchoring a program that runs July 3–11 and gathers international guests and a slate of more than 130 films.
The update matters because the festival has confirmed new honors and spotlight events while maintaining the premiere date and placement for Bertha’s film. Last update: July 6, 2026. The evolving lineup underscores Karlovy Vary’s role as a key European platform for boundary-pushing cinema and high-profile tributes within a single, concentrated week.
Proxima premiere: Bertha’s sensory approach and storyline
Against Nature centers on Jonás, a stonemason who returns to the countryside after years away, with the narrative leaning on sound design and hypnotic imagery rather than traditional plot mechanics. Festival notes describe Jonás as a man who “opens himself up to something intangible – a force that permeates the landscape, bodies, and time itself.” The film signals an exploration of human cruelty as part of a cycle of destruction that appears to emanate from the natural world around him.
The artistic intent aligns with a stated ambition to deliver “an absorbing cinematic experience that explores human cruelty as part of a cycle of destruction from which humanity has yet to find a way out,” framing the character’s actions against a looming, almost elemental catastrophe. A teaser trailer highlights themes of alienation and dread, explicitly invoking “that black sphere.” Viewers were cautioned to approach the unsettling imagery carefully, underscoring the project’s atmospheric edge.
Production, craft team, and development backstory
Production is led by Mexico-based Domme and Cárcava Cine with U.S.-based Love Song and co-produced by The Lift and Carlos Reygadas. The film’s editing is by Óscar Enríquez, cinematography by Flavia Martínez and Edson Reyes, original music by Ela Minus and Ariel Guzik, and sound design by Andrés Silva. The team shot on 35mm film with limited stock, contending with changing weather and collaborating with local non-actors to deepen authenticity.
Bertha developed the concept after encountering a police report about a murder in a local Mexican newspaper, using it to probe the relationship between human progress and nature. The filmmaker spent six months immersed in the location’s rhythms before production, aiming to re-ground perception in tangible reality. Jonás is portrayed as unable to articulate his feelings, repeatedly pulled back by a resurfacing past—a choice that places sound and image ahead of dialogue in advancing the story.
Karlovy Vary’s 60th edition: dates, guests, and honors
The festival schedule runs from July 3 to 11, 2026 in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary, with a star-studded opening highlighting its milestone year. Organizers reported tributes to the late Jiří Bartoška, a longtime president closely associated with the event’s modern identity, and unveiled a new festival trailer featuring Stellan Skarsgård and directed by Ivan Zachariáš. The program spans over 130 feature films and documentaries, including international co-productions with Czech participation.
Dustin Hoffman received the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contributions to World Cinema and reflected on the lasting impact of The Graduate. He recounted the role’s origins as an unexpected opportunity, saying it “was an accident,” and noted the enduring relevance of the film’s generational themes. Maggie Gyllenhaal received the President’s Award, while Jesse Eisenberg and Harvey Keitel were also recognized, adding to the awards profile of the 60th edition.
Hoffman discussed the story’s social commentary, recalling how post-war parents, “coming out of the Great Depression… and instead of giving themselves, they gave objects,” a view that resonated with festival attendees. He also observed the continuing search for self-identity among young adults, reinforcing the connection between classic cinema and today’s audience. Against that backdrop, Against Nature brings a contemporary exploration of alienation and violence to the Proxima strand, aligning with Karlovy Vary’s tradition of platforming formally bold works.
As the festival advances toward the July 9 premiere, the placement of Bertha’s debut within Proxima, the confirmed honors for industry figures, and the breadth of the lineup position Karlovy Vary’s 60th edition as both a celebration and a testing ground for new voices. Organizers maintain the premiere plan, with the screening set to anchor a late-week spotlight within the competition program.
