Ice skaters at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Georg Szalai

The Highlights of the 2023 Film Festival Season

The global film festival circuit went through highs and lows, trials and tribulations, as well as changes in 2023.

The Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes impacted some of the big events of the year, Berlin and Tokyo rang in new eras, Toronto shone the spotlight on local talent, and Karlovy Vary proved why it is Central Europe’s biggest film party of the summer. Here’s The Hollywood Reporter highlights of the 2023 film festival season.

Berlin puts the spotlight on Ukraine and Iran – and sows the seeds for major changes.

The Berlin film festival is one of the first big international stops of the film festival circuit, and it has long enjoyed getting political. This year was no different as the Berlinale unspooled a program full of serious movies, led by various political dramas and documentaries, and took a stance, banning companies, journalists and film delegations with direct ties to the Iranian or Russian governments from attending.

The first year of the war in Ukraine was also a featured topic across the Berlinale lineup, thanks to the likes of Sean Penn and Aaron Kaufmann’s doc Superpower, featuring several interviews with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. In addition, several docs in Berlin shone a spotlight on anti-government protests and political unrest in Iran.

The Berlin fest’s future itself then came under a microscope when co-heads Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian decided to step down after the 2024 edition of the festival in February. Just before Christmas, Tricia Tuttle was named the new Berlinale boss who will be in charge of the 2025 edition.

Oscar buzz and Harrison Ford honor in Cannes.

Cannes once again lived up to its reputation as a stage to premiere films that go into awards and Oscar season with much buzz. Among the Cannes 2023 titles that did so were the likes of competition entries The Zone of Interest, Anatomy of a Fall, and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Harrison Ford received an honorary Palme d’Or and helped launch Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on the Croisette.

Russell Crowe, Alicia Vikander, Morcheeba, and ice skaters bring the party to Karlovy Vary.

The annual film festival in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary has a reputation for being the biggest cinema celebration and party of the Central European summer. The 2023 edition kicked off with an opening-night bang, including honorary awards for Alicia Vikander and Russell Crowe, performances by ice skaters, and musical performances by Morcheeba and Crowe plus band. Scottish star Ewan McGregor and jury member Patricia Clarkson added further star power, with an event to honor McGregor turning into a big love fest.

A nearly starless Venice doubles down on awards season contenders and scandal.

With the Hollywood strikes putting many planned celebrity appearances on ice, Adam Driver injected much-needed star power into the 80th edition of the Venice film festival. Jessica Chastain also amped up the celebrity factor in Venice and wore a T-shirt in support of SAG-AFTRA. The winners of the top Venice awards once again made a splash heading into awards season, and the festival courted controversy with its decision to screen new films from Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, and Luc Besson.

Toronto provides a stage for Spike Lee, Pedro Almodovar, and local creatives.

The Hollywood labor disputes may have left the Toronto Film Festival’s 2023 edition short of Hollywood on-screen talent, but big-name filmmakers still made the journey. Spike Lee shared his thoughts during a keynote address, and Pedro Almodóvar brought Strange Way of Life to town for its North American premiere. Canadian talent filled the vacuum on red carpets, panels, and parties.

Tokyo looks for global prominence.

The Tokyo film festival focused its 36th edition on taking a bigger step towards increasing its profile around the world. The gala program was packed with crowdpleasers, and leading filmmakers spoke of their admiration for Yasujiro Ozu as part of celebrations for the legendary director’s birth.

That’s a wrap for the 2023 film festival season, filled with political dramas, Oscar buzz, celebrity honors, and global celebrations of cinema.