4 7/7 2014 SPECIAL EDITION OF FREE KVIFF’s MAIN MEDIA PARTNER INSIDE Laughs and mayhem at Midnight Movies English Section, page 2 Today’s Official Selection films English Section, page 3 Greg Shapiro’s emotional ties to his work English Section, page 4 Tomorrow’s program Czech Section, pages 5-8 Photo: Jan Handrejch “Film has become very difficult and TV’s become very exciting,” says Steve Golin. THE ALCHEMY IS ALWAYS TRICKY LOWDOWN While festivals such as KVIFF do ANONYMOUS CONTENT’S STEVE GOLIN ON STICKING HIS NECK OUT massive good by inspiring struggling filmmakers, artists, writers and such, there are moments when develop- Will Tizard But there haven’t been too many business with the director and the writer, – we’re developing something that I’m real failures in your case, have there? you’re to some degree giving over the cre- working on myself that I’m very excited ments can have quite the opposite Veronika Bednářová The WikiLeaks movie we did was not ative to them and supporting them... about called Berlin Station, which is ba- effect. Thus, it was almost shocking a success. It was very disappointing – we You’ve said a good script attracts sically about the US embassy in Berlin. when fest host and moderator Marek Anonymous Content, an elite worked very hard on that. We thought we a good director and a good director at- Inside the embassy is the CIA floor. It’s Eben, a man who invariably wins over Hollywood production and talent man- were making a movie that was about tracts good actors. based on material by Olen Steinhauer, the most jittery guests with his eru- agement company launched in 2000, is something, but for whatever reason the That’s it – it’s really as simple as that. who wrote The Tourist. It’s kind of Le dite charms, felt compelled to ex- well known indeed for its long string of movie didn’t work for the public and But I think it’s a question of talent and Carré meets “The Wire.” Operatives from press a bit of ire while introducing Jiří bold and original successes, from uber- maybe not even for the critics. But you perseverance. I mean, we have a big staff all around the world and it’s very gritty. Menzel’s classic, Closely Watched cool music videos by David Fincher to take chances. Some succeed, some don’t. and armies of people who are constantly On some of your past projects, such Trains at an afternoon screening weird and wonderful feature films such as ...The alchemy of why it works or doesn’t looking for new material through books, as Being John Malkovich, you really Saturday in the Thermal’s Grand Hall. Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich and work is always very tricky. magazine articles, documentaries... We stuck your neck out, didn’t you? While introducing the newly re- the recent HBO sensation True Detective, But Anonymous Content seems like have a lot of development in our compa- That was me. It was very difficult. stored digital print, on which KVIFF now headed into its second season. the epitome of filmmakers who are ny. About 25 of the 90 people in our com- Nobody wanted it. But I believed in and the České Bijáky Foundation col- Company co-founder and producer Steve finding their voice... pany are really focused on finding mate- Spike. He was very passionate. The sec- laborated this year, Eben said he had Golin recounts the many ups and downs Maybe. But I think that’s giving us too rial and making films and television. The ond half of the movie was completely dif- recently learned that students at of backing projects no one else will touch. much credit. We’re in business to make film business has become very difficult ferent from the movie we made. We a school in Nymburk, where the sto- movies, so we’re constantly looking for and TV’s become very exciting – all these worked on it for a couple of years. Then ry is set, rejected Bohumil Hrabal as You announced over a year ago that stories that are out there. It’s not my voice. new outlets. It’s a very competitive land- we had to give it to John to do the movie. a proposed school name. That show- you were just signing a writer you were I’m not creating the story. scape, but it’s fun. It’s similar to how we Eventually he agreed. Nobody wanted to ing of disinterest was so dishearten- excited to have on a project called True You’re finding the people who tell the used to do independent features. We don’t make it. When we were done with it, we ing, he said, that it made him wonder Detective, and your excitement seems to story... develop it with HBO; we develop our- had this screening and nobody came. if the iPhone generation was becom- have been spread, leading to quite Yeah – and sometimes I’m finding the selves, then package things and try to sell Then it was in Venice. John hadn’t seen ing something of an iDiot generation. a success. story without the people. Like WikiLeaks, them to different broadcasters. the movie. So he watched the film by In more happy news, the founda- Sometimes it does, sometimes it does- we had the book with Dreamworks and How many projects do you have in himself in the theater, called me up after- tion announced that its work on n’t. If it was every time like that, it would we hired a writer and director to do it. It’s development? wards and said, “I hate this fucking Menzel’s film was so rewarding that it be very good. Sadly, there have been about finding stories you’re passionate A lot – maybe 40. Most will never go movie. It’s the worst thing – I’m sorry now plans to get to work restoring some disappointing ones as well. But you about, whether they’re your own voice or anyplace. But maybe of the 40, five or six I did it. If I had the money, I would buy the director’s 1980 comedy Cutting it have to keep trying. someone else’s voice. When you go into will go forward. We’ve a few big projects the movie back and burn it.” z Short. z SEE YOU THERE EXPLAINER DIRECTOR, JITKA RUDOLFOVÁ DELIGHT YES, THE BEER REALLY IS THAT GOOD... Besides great movies, many visitors become a rarity in other brewing coun- I would like to see Alain Resnais’s Life Life of Riley screens July 9 (8pm, to KVIFF relish the chance to sample tries,” he adds. “It’s how malt was made of Riley because I love his films, espe- Drahomíra). The Wonders screens to- Bohemian beer, revered the world over. for centuries, and they still make malt cially My American Uncle and day (2pm, Thermal Grand Hall), July By common consent, the local bever- that way here today.” Providence. Those films influenced me 10 (1pm, Espace Dorleans), and July ages rank among the best around, as a Bohemian know-how also really in a certain way at one point as regards 12 (9:30am, Small Hall). Rudolfová’s lot of thirsty festgoers will tell you. So makes Czech “Pilsner-style” lagers the film language, handling of the sub- Delight also screens today at 1:30pm what makes Czech beer so good? stand out, particularly the use of a so- ject, and the use of absurd techniques and in the Lázně III Cinema. z According to Evan Rail, author of Why called decoction mash. “The brewer situations. Beer Matters and other books on the separates part of the mash of grain and Also, I would like to see The Wonders, subject, it all comes down to ingredi- water, brings it to a boil in a separate which was awarded with the Grand Prix ents and technique. kettle, then adds it back, which raises at Cannes. I chose it after reading the “The brewing water, especially, is ex- the original mash to a very specific, synopsis in the catalog. I was very inter- tremely soft in the Czech Republic, far slightly higher temperature,” Rail says. ested by its theme – a father trying to softer than the water almost anywhere “This is a complicated, time-consum- keep his daughter away from society. else,” he says. “That’s perfect for the ing process dating back to the 19th I sometimes have a feeling that today’s pale lager or Pilsner style of beer prices at markets in Germany in the century, if not earlier, and most Czech society is so crazy that it’s heading for brewed here. The Czechs also have 12th century and still command a pre- breweries still do this two or three a fall, so I would like to see whether that some of the greatest ‘noble’ aroma mium today.” times for each batch of beer.” is somehow contained in the film, too. hops, often known by their German Another vital ingredient is old-school Elsewhere, such techniques are rarely But I was told it wasn’t depressing or name, Saaz. Hops from the Czech lands floor-malted barley, Rail says. “This is seen, which is why Czech beer tastes anything. (COC/PH) were recorded as receiving the highest still commonly used here, though it has so special. (COC) strana 2 / page 2 FESTIVAL DAILY Monday, July 7, 2014 MIDNIGHT LAUGHS AND MAYHEM MY KV Doris Pack, MEP Matthew Theisen Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education Coilin O’Connor Regular festgoers have come to expect a healthy dollop of hilarious carnage from KVIFF’s Midnight Screenings and this year’s edition is unlikely to disappoint.