American actress Dakota Johnson was honored with the President’s Award at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. She received a standing ovation during the ceremony, which was held at the Hotel Thermal cinema on July 6, just before the premiere of her new film Materialists.
In her acceptance speech, Johnson expressed her gratitude in Czech—“Děkuji vám”—earning applause from the audience. She praised the festival’s atmosphere, saying, “This looks like Disneyland. It’s so beautiful.” She also took the opportunity to commend Materialists director Celine Song, calling her “probably the best filmmaker of our time.”
Materialists, which had its festival premiere the same evening, is a romantic drama directed by Song, best known for Past Lives. Johnson stars as a New York matchmaker caught between her ex, played by Chris Evans, and a seemingly ideal new partner, portrayed by Pedro Pascal.
The film explores themes of love, choice, and emotional certainty. Although Evans and Pascal did not attend, Johnson’s appearance generated significant buzz, with photos and videos from the event widely shared online.
Johnson’s production company, TeaTime Pictures, which she co-founded with Ro Donnelly in 2019, has also been gaining attention. The company aims to produce high-quality, thoughtful content and recently expanded its leadership team. It currently holds a first-look deal with Boat Rocker for television and digital content production.
