SPECIAL EDITION OF

KVIFF’s MAIN MEDIA PARTNER 1

1/7 2016 FREE

INSIDE Anna Geislerová on Czech heroism English Section, page 2 Otto Preminger: Anatomy of an auteur English Section, page 3 Official Selection: new voices, top talents English Section, page 4 Photo: Petr Hloušek ’s greatest WWII coup, “Operation Anthropoid,” gets a fresh look from English director-scribe Sean Ellis SEAN ELLIS: INTERWEAVING DRAMA AND FACT

By Veronika Bednářová I finished Metro Manila, and I was look- erally why it took 15 years. What part of comes the one who’s almost about to give noyed me at first was why they weren’t ing for another film to make. And I felt that story do you tell? You could do an everything up and just go out, guns blaz- together when they died, like in the 1975 and Will Tizard a similarity in themes – because Metro is eight-part TV series about that whole ing. There’s an interesting crossover be- film Operation Daybreak. But when about a man who sacrifices himself for thing. tween the two. I started to look at that, I thought each KVIFF opener Anthropoid, which has his family. But this is about two men – character is going to get his own ending. its world premiere tonight, is the first fea- seven men – who sacrifice their lives for And you portray Jan Kubiš as strug- What else did you want to handle dif- You get two pieces of cake in that respect. ture film to take on the assassination of their country. gling to find his courage at the start – ferently than the previous films have? Things start to just talk to you in since 1975’s Operation I suppose because otherwise you’d In Atentát, the Kubiš character comes a weird way. How did it happen? We were Daybreak. Director-scribe Sean Ellis re- So this is a theme that’s compelling have two stale heroes. down from the nave and tells Gabčík that able to see through the interviews and counts how he developed his characters us- to you – along with that of doing bad Atentát (the 1965 Czech drama) did the church is surrounded. He goes down through research – we had the Gestapo ing scraps of historic documentation from things with good intentions? that. Stoic, stone-like soldiers. In Atentát, to the crypt and he says goodbye to him. autopsy reports – and by reading those which much nuance was missing. I think it’s a theme that I’m quite ob- I didn’t know which one was Kubiš and I just thought, actually, I think it’s and going to the church you could piece sessed about – which is: We’re only here which one was Gabčík. When you’ve got stronger if they’re not together, if they together where they died and how they The film had a 15-year genesis, start- for such a short time and some people live two protagonists, they can’t be doing the don’t get a chance to say goodbye. died. ing when you came across a TV story in such extremes and it’s like, ‘What do same thing. If you open a film with the Because then you really see that Kubiš is of the British-trained Czech assassins you do? What’s the human psyche and Kubiš character, who can’t shoot anybody fighting for his life up there. And when And the development of the female [Jan Kubiš (Jamie Dornan) and Jozef what’s it capable of doing at extreme – and then you find out they’re there to he cries his name, you realize that an- characters and the romances are quite Gabčík (Cillian Murphy), who killed points?’ You kind of know there’s no way assassinate someone – you go, ‘This is guish. new in Anthropoid... Heydrich in 1942. How did your ver- out and it’s the end – it’s kind of how you not going to end well.’ It’s well known that those boys...were sion of the story develop in that time? face the end. In Anthropoid, they face the But he’s the one who comes good on And where did you find the line be- being boys. Knowing that they would It was a file that kept growing – when- end with such a roar of life that it’s still the day. He’s able to deal with his fear and tween the requirements of film struc- probably not come out alive, they had lots ever I had some spare time, I would do resonating today. complete his mission. Gabčík’s arc is an ture and the historical reality, which and lots of girlfriends. As a piece of en- some research. Then I remember doing interesting one as well. He’s a man on you painstakingly researched? tertainment, I think we can be protected some commercials in around So how did you choose to focus the a mission. Nothing’s going to come be- It’s a very tricky line. You’re weaving from that. And we can make them a little 2005, 2006 and 2007 and every time story with so much material to work tween him and what he wants to do. And yourself between film structure and that bit more politically correct. A bit more I came I was like, ‘Take me to the church’ from? then he meets Lenka [Anna Geislerová; particular set of rules that you can follow heroic, in some respects. [where the assassin paratroopers hid]. But It’s a tricky story because it’s so big. see interview on p.2]. And it upsets him. or break. And you’re trying to be true to It doesn’t take away from what they did I think it really became a project after There’s so much. And I think that’s gen- When Lenka dies, he spirals. And he be- the historical facts. One thing that an- – and what they did is incredible. z SEE YOU THERE EXPLAINER

KVIFF ARTISTIC KVIFF GETTIN’ JINGLEY WITH IT KAREL OCH DIRECTOR The first film of the 51st KVIFF brothers estimate that the num- I’d recommend Roger Ross Williams’ Life, screens at 8:30am today, but the ber of folks working on the cer- Animated, an amazing documentary about the festival will officially open at emony at around 50. “Marek power of film; about an autistic boy whose fa- 6pm at the Grand Hall of Hotel Eben might be the 51st,” quips ther discovers, after years of no communication, Thermal preceded by the red Photo: Petr Hloušek Michal, riffing on the edition that he’s repeating lines from Disney movies on- carpet promenade welcoming number of this year’s KVIFF. ly. The family learns to interact with him through honored guests such as Willem The short film which precedes them. It’s an uplifting tearjerker and won Best Dafoe, who will be awarded the the features, known in Czech as Director at Sundance. Also, Pietro Marcello’s Crystal Globe for Outstanding “the jingle,” also includes Lost and Beautiful, the best Italian film of 2015. Contribution to World Cinema. a swimming sequence not meant Grand Jury member Maurizio Braucci co-wrote The evening will be hosted, as an invitation to dive into the the script. It blends fiction and documentary in just as it has been for two closed pool above the Hotel an incredibly poetic way. (BK) decades, by actor, moderator and musician Marek Eben Thermal, which is reserved for industry events this year. while the artistic design, scenography and choreography are But KVIFF’s gala will not be rolling out only behind the Life, Animated screens today at 1pm (Pupp), July again in the hands of creative brothers Michal and Šimon closed doors of the Grand Hall. The opening film 3 at 10:30pm (Cinema B), July 5 at 10:30pm Caban. And what can you look forward to? “We’re returning Anthropoid will screen at three other cinema halls tonight (Drahomíra), and July 7 at 10pm (Národní dům). to the classical jingle this year, which is inspired by the lat- and celebrations will continue outside the Thermal, where Lost and Beautiful shows today at 6:30pm (KV est technology but also reflecting the work of renowned a concert of famous film melodies organized in collabora- Municipal Theatre), July 2 at 2pm (Drahomíra), July British photographer Eadweard Muybridge,” Michal says, tion with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra kicks off 4 at 11:30am (Grand Hall), and July 7 at 1pm recalling the pioneer of stop-motion photography. at 10:45pm. And yes, fireworks will light up the sky to wrap (Congress Hall) z A team of nine dancers will take the stage and the Caban it all up! (HG) z strana 2 / page 2 FESTIVAL DAILY Friday, July 1, 2016 ANNA GEISLEROVÁ: ‘WE STILL NEED HEROES’

Kateřina Kadlecová life models, put everything on the not, no big deal. I’ve benefited line to stand up to evil and fight a lot as it is. I took part in the A former model, the waifish for freedom from the fascists. filming of something that had al- ginger-haired Anna Geislerová This is all we know about Lenka. ways intrigued me – we played made her silver screen debut at I think it’s quite enough. soldiers as children all the time, the age of 12, and over the past You’re an avid reader of shooting the Nazis. Now I have few decades has appeared in Memory of the Nation project this powerful experience and scores of Czech television series stories, the database of memo- I was able to meet incredible peo- and feature films, including inter- ries of survivors of great histor- ple on the set. national hits such as helmer ical events, one of the sources Ondřej Trojan’s war-time drama from which we learned about In the film, Kubiš is played Želary, which was nominated for the personalities of the para- by the Jamie Dornan, who’s vis- the Academy Award for Best troopers … iting Karlovy Vary for the sec- Foreign Language Film in 2004. Today we know Kubiš, Gabčík ond time. What about Cillian She has won two Czech Lion and other Czechoslovak soldiers Murphy, the great Irish actor, awards as best actress. Geislerová and those who worked with them who plays your partner Jozef is appearing in two films screen- were heroes, and we admire Gabčík? What was he like? ing at KVIFF this year: the psy- them. But I still imagine that per- Cillian and I play an older and chological horror The Noonday haps in those days it was more more distinguished couple. He’s Witch (Jiří Sádek) and the inter- usual for people to be firmer, quite introverted and commands nationally-produced wartime dra- more thoroughly forged. They great respect at first sight, but ma Anthropoid, (Sean Ellis) were raised with a firm hand, when someone like that smiles at about the daring mission to assas- lived in accordance with their be- you, you adore him forever… It sinate Reichsprotektor Reinhard liefs and values and were ready to was great how Cillian and Jamie Heydrich, the principal architect take risks for the sake of truth. got along, too, as though they’ve of the Final Solution. Geislerová There wasn’t so much benevo- known each other for years; they plays the girlfriend of Czecho- lence and leniency then; people forged a bond which in my opin- slovak paratrooper Jozef Gabčík had firmer characters. If someone ion will remain strong for a long (Cillian Murphy), who along with was suffering and they had the time. The Canadian actress warrant officer Jan Kubiš (Jamie strength and ability to help, they Photo: Malíček Charlotte Le Bon, who plays Dornan) was dispatched in 1942 did. They had their honor and Leading lady Anna Geislerová says Anthropoid is no Hollywood film Kubiš’s girlfriend Marie to kill the “Butcher of Prague.” morals, which compelled them to Kovárníková, was also outstand- Anthropoid screens tonight in join the side of the good, not to “Americanize” the story of Barrandov Studios, he had photo- story is fascinating and the para- ing. She’s incredibly lucky to a world premiere (19:45, stand in the middle or join the evil Heydrich’s assassination? Isn’t graphs all over the place of minia- troopers’ courage will carry you have been bestowed with great Thermal, Small Hall). party, but rather actively side with it another romanticized version turized real-life models of all the away wherever you are. We still beauty, intelligence, a sense of the weaker ones. That’s what of history, such as was Pearl settings where they were shoot- need heroes. humor and talent – besides act- You play Gabčík’s partner, we’re missing now. We are so Harbor? ing. He had little figurines of the ing, she is also a photographer Lenka Fafková. Who is she? democratic, wishy-washy, over- Well, they’re English and Irish, soldiers and all the characters, The drama opens in U.S. cin- and painter. They’re really inter- We don’t have much chance to civilized... We’re concerned with aren’t they – and the production and he had the individual scenes emas in mid-August. Do you ex- esting, competent people with in- get to know her – she’s basically the feelings and rights of delin- is Anglo-French-Czech. It’s no planned frame by frame long be- pect it will be a success? ner freedom, and I’m grateful part of a group unafraid to risk quents and murderers. That is too Hollywood film. Even though it’s fore. How can it capture viewers Just to be clear, I don’t have I was able to work with them, as their lives on behalf of their na- much. It’s not healthy either for an ambitious movie and has been around the world? I don’t know. any expectations anymore. I did well as with all the Czech actors tion; people who show enormous the society or individuals. sold to U.S. cinemas, no one felt Are they at all interested that we my job and if there is some fol- – Václav Neužil, Alena Mihulová, inner strength in their resolve and the need to pander to the viewer. were betrayed by the Munich low-up, that’s fine, but I’ve al- Roman Zach – along with the everything they do in the story of Did you feel that Anthropoid Sean Ellis had been thinking Agreement? It’s a great story of ready done my bit. That’s what’s great Polish actor Marcin “Operation Anthropoid.” The screenwriters Sean Ellis and about the story for many years – a tiny country, the story of one of nice about acting – if it’s a suc- Dorociński and Briton Toby Czechoslovak heroes, their real Anthony Frewin tried to and very thoroughly. In the the pivotal events of WWII. The cess, it’s a bonus for me, and if Jones. z

French Films ON THE TOWN at the 51st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

FRIDAY / PÁTEK 1. 7. Mimosas 9:00 / Kino Čas Rocco et ses frères / Rocco a jeho bratři (, 177 min) / OP 9:30 / Thermal, Malý sál L’Hermine / Talár (Christian Vincent, 98 min) / H 10:00 / Národní dům Wolf and Sheep / Vlk a ovce (Shahrbanoo Sadat, 86 min) / AV 11:30 / Thermal, sál B Family Film / Rodinný film (Olmo Omerzu, 95 min) / CZ 12:30 / Thermal, Malý sál Aloys (Tobias Nölle, 91 min) / AV 15:30 / Kino Čas Photo: Milan Malíček SATURDAY / SOBOTA 2. 7. Jay parmi les hommes / Jay (Zéno Graton, 28 min) / PS Ristorante Palermo features an open kitchen, a big main room and cozy romantic corners 15:30 / Kino Čas

People Are Strange / Podivíni (Julien Hallard, 20 min) / PS 9:00 / Thermal, Velký sál 16:00 / Pupp Fuocoammare / Fuocoammare (Požár na moři) Ristorante Palermo erings. Outside there are also quite This patisserie sells handmade Juste la fin du monde / Je to jen konec světa (Gianfranco Rosi, 108 min) / H Moskevská 44, Tel. 773 583 892, a few tables where smoking is per- truffles and chocolates in unusual (Xavier Dolan, 97 min) / H 9:00 / Kino Čas mitted. If you’re in the mood for flavor combinations, from dark palermokv.cz 19:00 / Národní dům Rabin, the Last Day / Rabin, poslední den pasta, Palermo also has an impres- chocolate with pink pepper to Undeground Fragrance / Vůně podzemí (Amos Gitaï, 153 min) / H Open Mon-Thu 11am-11pm, (Pengfei, 76 min) / AV 9:30 / Thermal, Malý sál Fri 11am-midnight, sive choice (for example, Penne all white chocolate with violet 19:45 / Thermal, Malý sál Aquarius (Kleber Mendonça Filho, 140 min) / H Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-11pm Amatriciana for 109 CZK or petals. Anthropoid (Sean Ellis, 120 min) / SE 10:00 / Národní dům It’s well worth venturing beyond lasagna for 139 CZK). Or you can 20:00 / Thermal, Kongresový sál Divines / Božské (Houda Benyamina, 105 min) / AV the main drag on T. G. Masaryka splurge on a secondi piatti (Black Republica Coffee Anthropoid (Sean Ellis, 120 min) / SE 10:30 / Lázně III to this cozy pizzeria, where the pies Angus rib-eye steak at 299 CZK T. G. Masaryka 28, Tel. 720 347 166 Exil (Rithy Panh, 78 min) / AV 20:00 / Thermal, sál B are fired in an open kitchen before per 100g) and a big glass of Open: 7am-7pm Anthropoid (Sean Ellis, 120 min) / SE 11:30 / Thermal, sál B Lugana (187 CZK), perfect for the When only the best coffee will 20:30 / Kino Čas Tramontane (Vatche Boulghourjian, 105 min) / AV your feasting eyes. All the standard Abluka / Šílenství (Emin Alper, 117 min) / H 16:30 / Lázně III topping variations are covered and summer. There are daily lunch spe- do, this is the ideal spot to 21:30 / Karlovarské městské divadlo Le Fils de Joseph / Jozefův syn reasonably priced, from 109 CZK cials to keep things interesting. recharge your batteries (literally La Dernière femme / Poslední žena (Eugène Green, 114 min) / H for a Margherita to 179 CZK for and figuratively) and catch up on (Marco Ferreri, 118 min) / SCE 16:30 / Divadlo Husovka a Delicata, featuring bresaola Sladký život your email. There’s free Wi-Fi,

22:00 / Pupp Notes on Blindness / Poznámky o slepotě (Italian air-dried beef). But the Moskevská 3, sladky-zivot.eu and the nooks and crannies have Belgica (Felix van Groeningen, 126 min) / H (James Spinney, Peter Middleton, 90 min) / I Open Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, 23:59 / Kino Čas 17:00 / Thermal, Velký sál restaurant also features a wide ar- loads of plug sockets for laptops. Blood Father / Ve jménu krve The Wolf from Royal Vineyard Street / ray of authentic Italian dishes, and Sat-Sun 11am-6pm If you’ve got no time to linger, (Jean-François Richet, 88 min) / MS Vlk z Královských Vinohrad the dining area can accommodate “La dolce vita” is a lovely place all beverages can be packaged to (Jan Němec, 68 min) / C boisterous parties or intimate gath- to relax between film screenings. go. (BK) z 19:30 / Lázně III We Are Never Alone / Nikdy nejsme sami (Petr Václav, 105 min) / CZ 21:30 / Karlovarské městské divadlo Mimosas / Mimózy (Oliver Laxe, 93 min) / AV EVENTS 22:30 / Kino Drahomíra Ma Loute / Líná zátoka (Bruno Dumont, 112 min) / H L’Hermine 22:30 / Thermal, Velký sál The delegation from KVIFF red carpet to greet fans ahead of of popular film music in front Pasolini (Abel Ferrara, 86 min) / SE opener Anthropoid (including di- the Opening Ceremony, and of Hotel Thermal, starting at 22:30 / Lázně III rector Sean Ellis, actors Jamie ahead of the film’s world pre- 10:45pm. Starting about an hour Je me tue à le dire / Zemřít na smrt Dornan, Cillian Murphy, Toby miere. After the ceremony, the later, at 11:45pm, also in front of (Xavier Seron, 90 min) / VCC Jones and Czech leading lady Czech National Symphony the iconic hotel, will be a major Anna Geislerová) will be on the Orchestra will give a free concert fireworks display. (HG) z

Write to us at [email protected]. (Also visit our social media sites: facebook.com/KVIFF, Twitter via @kviffest (in English). Friday, July 1, 2016 FESTIVAL DAILY strana 3 / page 3 OTTO PREMINGER: ANATOMY OF AN EPIC AUTEUR BOUNDARY-BREAKING DIRECTOR SPAT IN THE FACE OF CONVENTION (AND ACTORS)

By Will Tizard give Preminger a unique sympa- thy for the actor’s plight. It’s doubtful that anyone but Instead, as the legendary direc- Otto Preminger could have talked tor once put it, “I do not welcome Frank Sinatra into thrashing about advice from actors; they are here a flophouse in 1955, performing to act.” a near-perfect rendition of heroin Credited with dozens of films withdrawal. In fact, few but the spanning from 1931 to 1986, in- Austro-Hungarian-born master cluding three Oscar nominations, director and auteur would have Preminger was regarded as dared ask the “Chairman of the a force of nature in Hollywood – Board” to take on the role of the to the extent that he alone could colorful card shark and junkie not only hire blacklisted screen- that The Man with the Golden writer Dalton Trumbo during the Arm centers on. Red Scare but give him full on- But then again, many screen credit for Exodus. Hollywood stars put up with The 1960 classic followed a great deal more from Preminger a smart, sophisticated political in- – one recent compilation by trigue film known as Advise & Conrad Doerr of actor accounts of Consent, which depicted a gay working under him is titled The Photo: KVIFF Photo: KVIFF nightclub scene that proves to be Morning Otto Preminger Spit in Laura: This leading lady could steal hearts from beyond the grave The bombastic mogul became the terror of Tinseltown the undoing of an otherwise clean my Face – so why not, really? and well-scrubbed senator from And then there was Preminger’s ly is a perfect example to learn would-be rebels by skipping com- ther, he confesses in Preminger: watching his films, to look at the Utah – in 1959. score with making box office hits from.” pletely the established distribution Anatomy of a Filmmaker, the year of production. He had a plan Even the posters for to think about, which surely did Och personally curated this system for proper, respectable documentary screening as part of and a very modern way to ap- Preminger’s films have become not escape Sinatra’s considera- year’s Preminger tribute with the film. KVIFF’s tribute this year, over proach the taboo issues.” iconic – from the segmented tions. This last record, most film unapologetic agenda of turning But it was Preminger who a scene in Anatomy of a Murder – Preminger’s origins in Eastern Picasso-esque arm for The Man historians agree, is what allowed more Czechs on to the incredible showed what big-budget, studio also known as “a dirty movie” to Europe – he was born to a Jewish with the Golden Arm to an equal- the director to break the almost range of work in his oeuvre. films with stars could get away many Midwesterners, including family in Vyzhnytsia in what is ly disjointed primitivist body for universally accepted puritanical “He was an outstanding and with. From the hard-drinking de- Stewart’s family – in which he now Ukraine but was then called Anatomy of a Murder. The dis- rules on taboo subjects, characters versatile storyteller,” Och adds. tective who falls in love with plays a defense attorney examin- Wiznitz in a province of the tinctive look of the Psycho title se- and moral outcomes known as the “He was able to charm and en- a dead woman in Laura to the ing rape evidence. Habsburg Empire – surely influ- quence was created by graphic Hays Code. gage with a romantic comedy, an rape victim’s panties that Jimmy “I have always been attracted enced both his toughness and his artist Saul Bass, whom Preminger “Preminger is on the list of the epic big budget spectacle and Stewart fondles in court in by the complexity and incredible passion for real, human stories first took under his wing for 1953 legendary directors who are al- anything in between.” Anatomy of a Murder, to the cut- charisma of his characters,” Och that disregarded polite American romantic comedy The Moon is most unknown in the Czech It’s true, of course, that even in ting depictions of anti-Semitism observes about such roles. conventions. Blue (which also made censors Republic,” as KVIFF Artistic the 1950s and before, there were among the British command in And Preminger’s willingness to His father, a prominent attor- dyspeptic with its casual discus- Director Karel Och puts it. “The outsiders and indies in Hollywood Exodus, Preminger seemed to embrace controversial subjects ney, inspired Preminger’s love for sion of virginity by the main char- aim to fill this hole goes together and beyond who weren’t afraid to delight in causing ulcers for pro- holds an important lesson even courtroom dramas, he later ad- acters). with my impression that more break with polite and decent de- ducers and studios worried about today, Och adds. “Once I started mitted, long after abandoning his All these films and more are and more filmmakers from our pictions of morally upright char- scandals with Middle American to read books about him, I real- own law school studies to become screening this week – a rare part of the world are trying to en- acters. Ed Wood’s cheap exploita- audiences. ized how determined he was in at- an actor. Many would have chance to catch such boundary- ter the field of sophisticated tion flicks were just one flavor of Stewart himself encountered tacking the rules. That is some- guessed that having performed on breaking classics on the silver genre cinema. Preminger certain- the fare that thrilled teenage a thorough shaming from his fa- thing people should realize while stage and screen himself would screen. z

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Write to us at [email protected]. (Also visit our social media sites: facebook.com/KVIFF, Twitter via @kviffest (in English). strana 4 / page 4 FESTIVAL DAILY Friday, July 1, 2016

OFFICIAL SELECTION MAIN COMPETITION SHOWCASES NEW VOICES, TOP TALENTS, AND A MASTER’S FINAL FILM Photo: KVIFF Photo: KVIFF Jan Němec’s FAMU protégés finished his swan song,The Wolf of Royal Vineyard Street Following on his Sundance short doc success, director Grzegorz Zariczny make his feature debut with Waves

By Brian Kenety their own cinema. The cinema of longtime scribe partner Petr communist Europe are all family trated attempt to defame him (he a philosophical and stylized dra- Jan Němec is exciting, unpre- Jarchovský (classmates at FA- dramas – but that’s where the was found bloody, naked and ma of a different stripe, where an KVIFF has a proud tradition of dictable, and very complex, in MU). While an exquisite portray- common thread ends. As Tolstoy holding a dildo; the police report equally magnetic man of God, helping emerging, innovative style but also – no matter how al of a specific time and place put it, “All happy families are points to a bestial act). “People a monk, is invited to a meeting of filmmakers advance their work. experimental his films were – he (1983 in the Slovak part of alike; each unhappy family is un- are more vicious than dogs,” she G8 finance ministers at a luxury Artistic Director Karel Och and always made emotional contact Czechoslovakia), it’s also a uni- happy in its own way.” says. “People will rip him apart.” hotel on the Baltic coast. his colleagues look far and wide with the audiences,” Ochs says. versal tale of what Václav Havel Romanian director Cătălin Then there’s Russian director Rounding out the Official in hopes of discovering little- “Dedicating this year’s festival to once called “the power of the Mitulescu’s third feature, By the Ivan I. Tverdovskiy’s fantastic, Selections are Turkish debut di- known talents embarking upon him is to embrace his ethos: to powerless.” How far will parents Rails, is the story of a young man surreal Zoology, which also re- rector Kıvanç Sezer’s My the cinematic road less traveled, love movies absolutely and fol- go to oust a manipulative teacher who finds work abroad to support volves around a lonely, middle- Father’s Wings, about an aging as well as seasoned helmers ex- low your own path.” who, as a minor communist party his family but returns to a wife aged woman. An administrative construction worker diagnosed ploring new avenues. Hundreds Returning to his homeland af- official, wields power not only who acts like they had never been worker at the zoo who lives with with a malignant tumor, as new of films are submitted for consid- ter the 1989 Velvet Revolution, over their children’s futures, but together. Then there’s renowned her mother, her life is turned up- life (in the form of construction), eration, and it can take the Němec went on to teach a gener- their own? Hungarian director Szabolcs side down – after finding she’s promises to fill a literal and figu- Program Department the better ation of filmmakers at FAMU – Polish entry Waves, mean- Hajdu’s spectacularly inventive grown a tail – but finds the rative void in the modern urban part of a year to decide which to and beyond – to embrace the un- while, though set in the present indie film It’s Not The Time of courage to be different. landscape; Spanish co-directors will vie for the festival’s main conventional. Knowing he wasn’t day, is evocative of Czech New My Life, which, channeling the From Germany comes Original Isa Campo and Isaki Lacuesta prize – the Crystal Globe. long for this world, Němec, who Wave classics, if not of Němec’s likes of Cassavetes and Bergman, Bliss, Sven Taddicken’s adapta- present Spain’s The Next Skin, Since the Official Selection cat- died in March aged 79, entrusted work specifically. The story of spins a tale of two families forced tion of renowned Scottish author a compelling mystery centered on egory is not limited to first or four protégés to complete his boisterous teen girls training to by circumstance to share an un- A. L. Kennedy’s hugely success- a teenage boy who appears to even second films, among the 12 swan song, The Wolf from Royal become hairdressers, it marks di- usual apartment. ful book of the same name, about have been reunited with his fami- contenders this year representing Vineyard Street, a comedic rector Grzegorz Zariczny’s full- Nightlife, by renowned an unlikely romance between ly after being lost for years but is 17 countries are also established biopic loosely based on his expe- length feature debut, along with Slovenian filmmaker Damjan a woman who has lost her faith in suspected of being a calculating voices – including a director now riences in the Prague Spring, cinematographer partner Kozole, is a compelling small- God and a radical charismatic imposter; and Canadian Jesse with us only in spirit, Jan Němec, forced exile in the U.S., and ap- Weronika Bilska; their short doc- scale drama about a woman in psychologist who claims to be Klein screens We’re Still a founding father of the Czech pearances at Cannes and KVIFF umentary The Whistle, drawing a stale marriage whose husband able to control reality through Together, an offbeat bromance New Wave, to whom this year’s (as rising star and veteran helmer, on his days as a soccer referee in ends up in intensive care after “cybernetics” yet has a compul- (of sorts) about an alienated, tub- festival is dedicated. respectively). a farming community, won the a terrifying attack by a dog. Shot sive sexual obsession that could by teen who is rescued from “We’ve always looked for A Czech-Slovak coproduction Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in in an observational cinema style, be his professional undoing. a gang of bullies by a mysterious filmmakers courageous enough in the running is The Teacher, by 2013. we watch as she tries to protect From Italian director Roberto stranger who gets more than he’s to go their own way, to redefine prolific helmer Jan Hřebejk and Four other entries from post- him from what may be an orches- Andò comes The Confessions, bargained for (good and bad). z FACES CRITIC’S CHOICE BOYD VAN HOEIJ, FILM CRITIC, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER The gates of the 51st KVIFF open today and a warm welcome is prepared for audiences, film- makers and honored guests of the festival. Willem Dafoe will appear on the red carpet tonight to receive is mesmerizing in ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS pretty much any movie he’s ever the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Contribution to Director: Luchino Visconti been in, but alongside Purple World Cinema at the opening ceremony and will re- Italy, 1960, 177min main to present two of his films, Pasolini and The Noon and Le Samouraï, Luchino July 1, 9am, Čas Cinema Last Temptation of Christ. Charlie Kaufman will Visconti’s Rocco and His be here the whole week during which he’ll present Brothers offers the actor at his his latest film and will receive the Festival Leire Apellaniz Jamie Dornan most entrancing. Though President’s Award at the closing ceremony on July Delon’s Rocco is but one of five odd jobs in the Milan area up kind of kind sibling who puts 9. Ivan Passer is coming to see the restored version brothers of a poor family from north, his good-hearted character everyone else’s happiness before of his Intimate Lighting. The cast and crew of the the south trying to survive on stays with you because he’s the his own. opening film Anthropoid, including director Sean Ellis, actors Jamie Dornan, Toby Jones, Václav IT’S ONLY THE END Neužil and Marcin Dorociński, along with actress- Canadian director and Cannes fa- es Anna Geislerová and Alena Mihulová are also vorite Xavier Dolan is no spring OF THE WORLD coming. Jesse Klein, director of the main competi- chicken, having turned 27 this Director: Xavier Dolan year. That said, he’s no slouch ei- tion film We’re Still Together, is also arriving, as is Zrinko Ogresta Elite Zexer Canada/France, 2016, 97min Sven Taddicken, who will present Original Bliss in ther, having directed six features July 1, 4pm, Pupp Cinema the same section. Documentary filmmakers Manuel since I Killed My Mother, his 2009 Abramovich (Solar), Mohamed Siam (Whose debut. It’s Only the End of the Country?) and Leire Apellaniz (The Last Summer) World is his second adaptation of cludes Léa Seydoux, Marion claustrophobic close-ups, this is are here to compete for the Grand Prix for the best a play after Tom at the Farm and Cotillard and Vincent Cassel. An the kind of film that’s meant to documentary, while Alexei Krasovskiy brought has an all-star French cast that in- explosive family drama shot in make you uncomfortable. Collector to compete in the East of the West section. Radek Bajgar is bringing Tiger Theory starring KV- IFF president Jiří Bartoška in the lead role. Horizons After The Misfortunates and the BELGICA welcome director Zrinko Ogresta (On the Other Oscar-nominated Broken Circle Otto Bell Victoria Franco Director: Felix van Groeningen Side) and Another View greets directors Asaph Breakdown, Dutch-speaking Polonsky (One Week a Day) and Elite Zexer (Sand Selection – Out of Competition films, directors Otto Belgian director Felix van Belgium/France, 2016, 126min Storm), Agnieszka Smoczyńska (The Lure), and Bell (The Eagle Huntress) and Pepe Diokno Groeningen trades in his complex July 1, 10pm, Pupp Cinema screenwriter of Lost and Beautiful Mauricio (Brotherhood) also arrive today. Mexican filmmakers storytelling and cutting tech- Braucci. Philippe Lesage’s The Demons was cho- Betzabé García (Kings of Nowhere) and Victoria niques for a chronologically told, sen for the festival by the Variety critics. Actress Franco (Through the Eyes) are the first in the spa booze-soaked drama about two brim with drama, flying glasses vides an instant rush and leaves Adriana Ugarte arrives to represent Pedro town to open the sidebar section A Female Take on brothers who run a dive bar in and great music (by Soulwax), you just as exhausted as the char- Almodóvar’s new film Julieta. From the Official Mexico. z Ghent, Flanders. Filled to the this is the kind of film that pro- acters at the end of the ride. z

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