Formally daring documentary about identity, freedom and inner defiance follows the life of a photographer called Libuše Jarcovjáková – a distinctive artist who regardless of the times and her surroundings decided to be herself. The film was created from her private diaries and thousands of analogue photographs and depicts the underground movement in the 1970s in Czechoslovakia as well as her dramatic escape to West Berlin and exclusive photo shooting for the fashion icons in Tokyo. 

I’m Not Everything I Want to Be premiered at the Berlinale International Film Festival 2024 and since then travelled to more that 110 festivals and showcases all over the world while securing the distribution at several territories including Germany and Switzeland (Salzgeber), Portugal (No Comboio) or recently announced US (Grasshopper). The film was also awarded the Czech Lion for the best documentary feature this year. I’m Not Everything I Want to Be could thus build on last year’s success, when the Czech film Waves by Jiří Mádl appeared on the Oscar shortlist.

The Czech Audiovisual Fund supported the film with EUR 80,800 and additional support came from the Creative Europe - MEDIA, Prague Audiovisual Fund and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund. 

The shortlist of 15 international films will be announced on December 16, 2025 and the announcement of the five nominated films in the International Feature Film category will follow on January 22, 2026. The 98th annual awards of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will take place on March 15, 2026.