American actor Viggo Mortensen to attend Karlovy Vary Film Festival as special guest

American actor and director Viggo Mortensen, best known for his role as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, will receive the President’s Award at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on June 28, organizers have confirmed.

Mortensen, 65, will also present his latest film, The Dead Don't Hurt, at the festival's opening ceremony. This marks his second film as a director, following his critically acclaimed debut, Falling.

Alongside Mortensen, British actor Clive Owen and German-Spanish actor Daniel Brühl will also receive the President's Award. Owen is known for his star role in the 1998 film Croupier as well as his performance in the 2004 drama Closer. In 2005, he won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Brühl has won three European Film Awards and three German Film Awards, along with nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA Award. He is perhaps best known for his lead role in the 2003 Good Bye, Lenin! movie.

Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh will also be in attendance, presenting one of his films as part of the festival's special category: The Wish to Become a Red Indian. He has previously gained critical acclaim with the Ocean's trilogy and film franchise.

Oscar winner Benicio del Toro, a 2022 President’s Award winner, will star in the new Karlovy Vary festival jingle, premiering June 28, at the festival’s opening ceremony. Directed by Ivan Zachariaš, who also composed the music, the jingle was shot in Berlin during del Toro’s filming of Wes Anderson’s new movie. Del Toro joins previous stars like Johnny Depp and Helen Mirren in this unique festival tradition.

With a total of 32 films in the main and Proxima competition sections, the Karlovy Vary festival will showcase a diverse selection of both established and up-and-coming filmmakers. Nearly half of the films being shown are debuts, highlighting the festival's commitment to discovering fresh talent.

The festival's main competition jury will be led by Oscar-winning Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, who was previously honored with the Crystal Globe at the festival for his outstanding contribution to world cinema.

According to the festival's organizers, the presence of such esteemed guests is a testament to the festival's international reputation and its ability to attract top-tier talent.

In addition to the President's Award recipients, the festival will also welcome other notable guests, including American screenwriter-director Nicole Holofcener and British electronic music group Kosheen, who will perform at the festival's opening ceremony.

The festival runs until July 6; ticketing information is available on the official event's English-language website.