2 5/7 2014 SPECIAL EDITION OF FREE KVIFF’s MAIN MEDIA PARTNER INSIDE Out of the Past – movies the way they were English Section, page 2 Today’s Official Selection movies English Section, page 3 Michael Pitt’s obsession with film English Section, page 4 Tomorrow’s program Czech Section, pages 7-10 Photo: Jan Handrejch Mel Gibson (left) receiving his Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema from KVIFF president Jiří Bartoška IF YOU DON’T DIG IT, IT GETS OLD LOWDOWN With the grand opening of KVIFF now achieved with an unusual level of splash, MEL GIBSON STILL LOVES A GOOD CHASE MOVIE its first glorious weekend is unfolding with help from thousands of visitors from around the country, most a bit hungover. Veronika Bednářová How did you come up with the Nobody really knows about that stuff a wall and then telling stories. I mean, And that’s not just because the tradition- idea? and nobody really funds it, and I think its really part of our society, its amazing. al opening night events entail all-night par- Mel Gibson was in KV yesterday to I don’t know, I think that stuff like that there’s a lot of secrets buried there. You originally trained as a theater ties extending from T.G. Masaryka street pick up a Crystal Globe for his contri- kind of percolates for years. Like what? actor with classical training... up the Promenade to the Grandhotel bution to cinema. Fresh from wrapping Like it lingers in your mind you Like the history of the whole world, It was; it was classical training. Royal Pupp. Hi-jinx at these places are rarely his latest movie, Blood Father by Jean- mean? I think. About where people came from, Shakespearean company kind of ethics. disappointing. But the real party pros get François Richet, not to mention root- Yeah, for a very long time you’re like, who walked over the straits. It’s an op- You played Romeo in Australia, to work early, while KV is still being slow- canal surgery, he spoke to the Festival you know little ideas come together. You portunity to really find the missing piece right? ly inflated to accommodate the annual del- Daily about his filmmaking process and know I love the idea of a chase movie, of the puzzle to the natural history that Yeah, it was great. I enjoyed the hell uge of film freak visitors. the human need to tell stories. like just a chase, a pure chase, right? we’ve accumulated. out of it. And, you know, when I was in A full day and night before the grand And there’s a lot of chases, and After such a long career, what in school I disliked Shakespeare. I think opening, skeleton crews of artists, crafts You’ve had such a wonderful range I thought, well what kind of chase do drives you to do new projects, write people just had a boring way of teaching people, security guys getting fitted for or- of roles as an actor, but when it comes I want to see? And I thought, let’s get a new script, maybe direct another it, and reading it. But later on when I got ange shirts and teens gather to help out to directing you seem rather choosy down to a really primitive chase, a foot movie? to look at it another way, and see it in ac- with cool summer jobs watching doors, and probably for a good reason... chase. Let’s just get it on foot and see I think you have to maintain a child- tion and see it as naturalism and see it as driving, bartending, movie ushering, Yeah, for good reason. I think if you what that looks like. like enthusiasm for the art of story- human beings, it just took on a whole cleaning and everything else you can pos- embark down that road you have to You’ve donated some money to part telling. I love hearing a story, I love new life. And it’s really dynamic stuff. sibly imagine (and a few things you hope- make sure it’s something that you can of Central America where the Mayan when my little child, she’s four years old I began to see the genius of poor old fully can’t). stand spending eighteen months or two civilization was. Is this something and I’ll tell her a story and you just see dead Shakespeare. Photogs and media hacks also gather years of your life on because if you don’t that’s close to your heart? her eyes light up. So that’s good, its Would you like to return to the well ahead of the pack and, as duty calls, really dig it, it’s going to get old. You Well, sort of. I think one of the great- good that you can provide that for some- stage at some stage? dutifully inspect local bars. An early fa- have to really like what you’re doing. est archeological finds in the Western body, and it’s good that you can have the I don’t know; maybe I will, you know, vorite this year is Bamboocha, where two What’s your scriptwriting process ? hemisphere is El Mirador. Nobody even vicarious experience of almost telling people go on Broadway and do a stint, guys got in a punch-up last night. It’s ok. I usually co-write stuff, like knows about it, but it’s this tremendous, yourself a story and getting sort of why not? It’d be fun. I tend to get a little Functioning while bruised, bloody and I co-wrote The Passion [of the Christ] pre-classic archeological site with more jazzed on that. But that’s what we do, bored after about eight weeks. booze-addled, is, of course, par for the and Apocalypto from an idea that I had than fifty cities and the biggest pyramid that’s what we’ve always done. Ever course. Real pros barely let it slow them and other things I’ve written and co- in the world is there. It’s bigger than the since we were sitting around a fire some- Apocalypto screens tonight at 10:30pm down, as we’ll surely see demonstrated re- written. ones in Egypt. It’s in Guatemala. place, you know doing paintings on in the Thermal Grand Hall z peatedly in the coming week. z SEE YOU THERE EXPLAINER DIRECTOR DAVID ZELLNER KUMIKO, THE KVIFF OPENING SINGS IN THE RAIN TREASURE HUNTER Not to burst anyone’s bubble hand to get the picture. “With I’d recommend seeing Solaris. Solaris screens tonight at 8pm in the on movie magic...but the look simple movements of our bod- It’s one of my favorite films and Drahomíra Cinema and on July 11 (10am, and feel of the 49th Karlovy ies we aim to conjure up an il- I love Andrey Tarkovsky’s work. Grand Hall – Thermal). Low Down screens Vary fest is actually the prod- lusion of something else. What I love the pace and the tone and today at 5pm in the Grand Hall, July 6 (9am, uct of months of work and is that? In the case of KV, the room for interpretation with it. Pupp), and July 8 (9am, Drahomíra). Zellner’s preparations by an elite troupe where we have been preparing And I really love the sound design Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter also screens to- of professionals, ranging from the opening ceremony for 19 and the soundtrack – that score is day at 4pm in the Pupp, on July 7 (10am, choreographers and designers years, it is something very char- something to listen to a lot. It was Čas), and July 12 (1pm, Espace Dorleans) z to electricians and engineers. acteristic – the vagaries of the actually an inspiration for our These crafty elves come up [typically wet July] weather.” score in a couple of parts. It has with the concept for KVIFF’s Brother Šimon puts it this Photo: Jan Handrejch this kind of haunting, melancholic visage each year and the epito- way: “As a former festival ar- vibe that really resonates with me. me of the presentation is on kept carefully under wraps un- stage right in front of your very chitect, I dreaded the cloud- I’m also really looking forward stage for opening night. That’s til the big reveal, naturally, but eyes. bursts which destroyed the out- to Low Down. The director [Jeff when veteran event makers regular fans of KVIFF know to Michal Caban says this year side decor or prevented us from Preiss] was the cinematographer Michal and Šimon Caban — expect an original spectacular. they are reviving ideas used 35 finishing the remaining con- on Let’s Get Lost, which is one of who were responsible for Last year, audiences were en- years ago by his Ballet Unit struction. Therefore, this year my favorite documentaries ever. the award-winning Czech thralled by a balletic wheel- Cramp (Křeč) in their daring we decided to meet it halfway That film has a really beautiful, Olympic House in London chair dance, complete with ex- Smrkací symfonie (Nose- and in the Grand Hall – which evocative feel, so I’m very much 2012 – present their annual fest ploding streamers. Now and Blowing Symphony). As he ex- has up to now been dry – wel- looking forward to this movie. extravaganza. then you get hottie aliens or plains, it becomes increasingly come rain in full splendor... (COC) The details of the show are even a heist movie caper on- clear you need to see it first- and take it positively.” (WT) strana 2 / page 2 FESTIVAL DAILY Saturday, July 5, 2014 MOVIES THE WAY THEY WERE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY IN DIVERSE OUT OF THE PAST SELECTION Photo: KVIFF Photo: KVIFF Surrealism reigns supreme in Jan Švankmajer’s Lunacy Czech New Wave classic Closely Watched Trains Will Tizard And catching an almost forgot- the life of master film critic Roger 1960s and early 70s.