Fruit Gathering Wins Crystal Globe at Karlovy Vary

Overview

• Aung Phyoe’s Fruit Gathering took the festival’s Grand Prix (Crystal Globe) and the $25,000 prize, which is split between the director and the film’s producers.
• The jury described the film as beginning with a lush, meditative portrait of work and friendship before moving into a harrowing drama of obsession and queer desire.
• Fruit Gathering is a 2026 co-production from Myanmar, the Czech Republic and France and was praised as a confident feature debut that foregrounds class, gender and queer longing.
• Karlovy Vary also presented honorary Crystal Globes to Dustin Hoffman, Juliette Binoche and cinematographer Robert Richardson and handed Festival President’s Awards to Jesse Eisenberg, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Magda Vášáryová and Jeffrey Wright.
• Other main competition winners included Mads Mengel’s The Guest (Special Jury Prize and Best Director), Anna Schinz (Best Actress), Ghassan Saad (Best Actor) and Bára: Diary of a Rockstar as the audience pick.