“Fingernails,” starring Jesse Buckley, Riz Ahmed and Jeremy Allen White, is to close the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. The tender and idiosyncratic romantic drama, co-produced by Cate Blanchett, is the sophomore outing from director Christos Nikou, who made a splash with his debut “Apples.”
The film centers on the Love Institute, a scientific organization that tests the mutual compatibility of people who have decided to embark on life’s journey together. It is here of all places that the incurable romantic Anna finds a job, temporarily mentored by the thoughtful and sympathetic Amir.
“After being in the jury of Karlovy Vary Film Festival in 2021 and having the chance to present my first feature ‘Apples’ to the Czech audience, I am so excited and grateful to return to a festival and a city that feel like home. I would like to thank [festival chiefs] Karel Och and Krystof Mucha for honoring us as the closing film of the festival and giving me the opportunity to share with the audience my English-language debut ‘Fingernails.’”
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The 58th edition of Karlovy Vary runs from June 28 to July 6.
In addition to Blanchett, the film’s producers are Coco Francini, Andrew Upton, Nikou and Lucas Wiesendanger, and executive producers are Glen Basner, Milan Popelka, Alison Cohen, Ashley Fox, Kevin Lafferty and Jerome Duboz. The film was co-written by Nikou, Sam Steiner and Stavros Raptis; cinematography was done by Marcell Rév (“Euphoria”).
