Karlovy Vary Fest Expands Its Horizons
variety.comMarta Balaga As its 56th edition – running July 1-9 – kicks off, Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival is ready to party like it’s 2019.“We can’t predict how many people will come, as some still don’t want to travel, but it’s supposed to be as close to [pre-pandemic] 2019 as possible,” says artistic director Karel Och, noting the audience is still one of the festival’s biggest assets.It’s their enthusiasm for cinema that has “enchanted even big Hollywood stars,” echoes president Jiří Bartoška, hoping for a great atmosphere in Karlovy Vary.But there have been significant changes at the festival, starting with the death of the longtime artistic advisor and former artistic director Eva Zaoralová in March. “When it happened, it was just like when Bowie died — certain people you just consider immortal,” says Och.
The festival will celebrate Zaoralová with an exhibition of photographs and a screening of her favorite film, Federico Fellini’s “La Strada.” “It was a long, beautiful, rich life connected to cinema and we will try to reflect that.
She sent a letter to Fellini once. He replied and invited her to Rome, to visit him on set. She never did, which was her regret.” The festival will also replace its East of the West sidebar with the Proxima competition.
No longer bound by geographical restrictions, it will showcase the work of “filmmakers waiting to be discovered as well as renowned directors seeking to redefine their work,” it was announced.“People have always appreciated our efforts to help the filmmakers from our region.
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