Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, July 4 - 12, 2008

the most prominent international film festival in Central and Eastern Europe and the only category A festival in the Czech Republic, enters its 43rd year from 4 to 12 July 2008.

In the retrospectives segment, the festival’s dramaturges will honour two excellent directors. British director Nicolas Roeg, the controversial filmmaker who first gained wider recognition as a cameraman on Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451º, will personally present five of his films at Karlovy Vary. The second honoured filmmaker will be Mexican director Arturo Ripstein, whose work will be represented by seven films. Assistant of Luis Buñuel for the film El angel exterminador (1962), he has made scores of films in Mexico, France and Spain. Films of Dutch origin made after 2000 will have significant representation. Adrift (2001) and Bluebird (2004) uncover the world of adolescence, while the acclaimed psychological thriller Off Screen (2005) recalls actual events. Nor will the works of the most celebrated contemporary Dutch directors be forgotten: Nanouk Leopold and Heddy Honigmann. Seven shorts round out the collection of films. The second part of the Karlovy Vary review of American cinema from 1968–1980 bears the title New Hollywood II. In this retrospective, Robert De Niro excels in the retro-musical New York, New York, Warren Beatty and Julie Christie in the revisionist western McCabe and Mrs. Miller, and Jack Nicholson as the cynical navy man in The Last Detail. And, of course, the legendary crime-thriller The French Connection will not be missing! For those who enjoy a good fright in the cinema, there are the midnight movies with the telling title The Dark Eyes of London. Vic Pratt, curator of the British Film Institute, has selected seven classic British horror films from the 1930s to 1960s. Undeniably the most controversial movie in the retrospective, the voyeuristic opus Peeping Tom (1960) tells the story of a cameraman obsessed with capturing death on film. The Forum of Independents remains the fourth festival competition, in which original pictures from around the world compete for the Independent Camera Award given in co-operation with Czech Television. Unlike previous years, most films will be introduced in a world, international or European premiere. The doyen of American documentary film, Les Blank (born in 1935), an independent filmmaker focusing primarily on folk culture, will also be present at Karlovy Vary. In the international competition of full-length feature films, the CzechRepublic will be represented by the world premier of Night Owls, directed by Michaela Pavlátová. More information at www.kviff.com. In the middle of the summer holidays, a stop into Uherské Hradiště at the 34th annual SummerFilmSchool(25 July–3 August 2008) is definitely worthwhile. No dull lessons are looming here. It is prepared for viewers in ten appealing cycles that present films on the themes of magic; retrospectives of Juraj Jakubisko, Jan Švankmajer, Julio Medem (all personally presenting their films) and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Pictures on the years-long conflict of Israel and Palestine address current political themes. A traditional part of SFS is represented by the musical accompaniments to silent films, this year to be provided by Erik Truffaz and Masala Sound System. Contemporary Czech and Slovak Film provides a mesmerising collection of the “best of the worst” films after 1989, excluding films from the previous year. The new cycle Transcription of the Past turns the attention to Czechoslovak films especially from the period of normalisation and will open up the possibility to look back through foreign eyes on key events in 1968. Another retrospective will be dedicated to the works of the controversial author, director, dramatist and another guest of SFS 2008, Pavel Kohout. Film magazines of the Visegrád countries will present a selection of films of each country’s cinematography. Nor will the educational feature of SFS be forgotten – an introductory course for secondary school students will take place throughout the festival. An accompanying program will incorporate concerts, theatre performances, a large exhibition on the works of Jan Švankmajer, as well as literary-musical gatherings. More information at www.lfs.cz.