The Karlovy Vary Film Festival has scored quite a coup as it announced today that the most recent Best Actor winner, Casey Affleck, will be honored with its prestigious President’s Award at the 52nd edition of the festival this July.
Affleck will also be on hand to also introduce “A Ghost Story” along with director David Lowery and producers Toby Halbrooks and James M. Johnston. A24 will release “A Ghost Story” in the U.S. on July 7th just a day before the end of the festival.
The Festival President’s Award is a special honor given to actors, directors, and producers who have contributed in a fundamental way to the development of contemporary world cinema.
In a statement from the festival, KVIFF President Jiří Bartoška noted, “We are very glad that Casey Affleck is accepting the Karlovy Vary IFF President’s Award and will present David Lowery’s new picture A Ghost Story at our 52nd edition. In 2013, the Festival presented, to great acclaim, Lowery’s ‘Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,’ although Mr. Affleck was unable to attend. We regard Casey Affleck as one of the most intriguing actors in contemporary American film and are honored to welcome the filmmakers during the presentation of A Ghost Story.”
Previous winners include Jean Reno, Charlie Kaufman, Susan Sarandon and John Turturro among others.
Affleck is currently shooting another Lowery film, “The Old Man and the Gun” alongside Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek. He’s also currently in post-production on his directorial debut, “Light of My Life.”
The 52nd Karlovy Vary Film Festival runs June 30th through July 8th in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.