Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, A Real Pain, When You Finish Saving the World) will in the coming days receive Polish citizenship and hopes to spend more time making movies in Central Europe because the kind of films he likes to create are more and more difficult to make in Hollywood, he said on Saturday.
The actor, writer and director shared the news as he received a standing ovation and massive collective hug, figuratively speaking, at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) in the Czech Republic on Saturday. The actor, writer and director was honored with the fest’s President’s Award before a screening of The Double, directed by Richard Ayoade, in which Eisenberg plays the lead role.
Holding the award statuette in the Grand Hall of the Hotel Thermal, the “headquarters” of the Czech festival, Eisenberg said: ”Being here has particular meaning for me right now, because in exactly one week I am receiving my Polish citizenship. I pursued Polish citizenship because of my family’s heritage, but also because I want to spend more time in my life and my career working in Europe, specifically Central Europe.”
Eisenberg continued: “In America, many of the kind of films that I love so much – human scale, strange mid-budget films – have become increasingly difficult to make, but in Europe, those movies are thriving and celebrated.”
He called it “wonderfully strange” to introduce The Double, “a film we made over a decade ago that owes so much to Central European cinema.”
The star is one of many big names in the spotlight during the double anniversary 60th edition in the 80th year of the Czech fest, which runs July 3-11.
During Friday’s opening night ceremony of KVIFF 2026, Dustin Hoffman (The Graduate, Kramer vs. Kramer, Rain Man) was honored with the fest’s Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contributions to World Cinema, while Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Bride!, The Lost Daughter, Secretary, The Honourable Woman) received its President’s Award. Harvey Keitel (Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Reservoir Dogs) was also among the famous names walking the expanded red carpet of the festival in the Czech spa town.
Eisenberg later shared that the Karlovy Vary screening was the first time that he actually saw The Double he has traditionally not watched his own movies “because I can’t look at my own face,” but now that he is also a director, “I have the courage” to do so.
Eisenberg’s upcoming film as a writer and director, The Debut, stars Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti. Eisenberg also co-stars in and wrote the music and lyrics for the film’s musical-within-the-movie. The film will be released in the fall by A24.
When KVIFF unveiled a month ago that Eisenberg would be honored this year, it called him “one of the most multifaceted figures in contemporary cinema.” It highlighted: “His first role was in the 2002 film Roger Dodger, which earned him an award for most promising young actor at the San Diego film festival. His performance in Noah Baumbach’s family drama The Squid and the Whale (2005) earned him nominations for the Independent Spirit Award and the Critics’ Choice Award. The apocalyptic horror comedy Zombieland (2009) was a box office hit. … In 2010, Eisenberg played Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, which earned him his first nominations for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award.”
Karlovy Vary also noted his work as a filmmaker. “Eisenberg made his screenwriting and directing debut with the feature film When You Finish Saving the World, starring Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard as a mother and son trying to navigate their relationship,” it highlighted. “The film had its premiere at the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. Eisenberg subsequently aroused great attention with his second film, A Real Pain (2024), in which he and Kieran Culkin play cousins in search of their heritage. Eisenberg was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best screenplay, and his screenplay won a BAFTA Award, the Waldo Salt Award at the Sundance Film Festival, an Independent Spirit Award, and numerous other prizes. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for best actor, and Kieran Culkin’s performance garnered an Oscar for best supporting actor.”
