Well, I’m Not There is about Bob Dylan – aninterpretation by lots of different actors andactresses. I missed it when it was out in England soI’d like to see that. Also anything about Lightnin’Hopkins would be a good choice for me. The BluesAccordin’ to Lightnin’ Hopkins is a documentaryabout him. He’s one of the legendary blues men soI’d definitely like to see that too. Bob & Carol &Ted & Alice is well worth seeing. It’s an old one. Ilike old stuff. I’m a bit of a retro film freak. PaulMazursky is a great filmmaker who was also instru-mental in creating The Monkees TV series as well.

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice screens today at9.30am at the Small Hall at the Thermal. TheBlues Accordin’ to Lightnin’ Hopkins alsoscreens today at 9.30pm in the Small Hall at theThermal.I’m Not There screens tonight at 12amin the Čas Cinema.

Vic PrattCurator (Fiction), British Film Institute National Archive

THERE�

denicek@kviff.com

Tomorrow’s programstrana/page 8, 13, 14

A showcase of Czech cinema

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Grand Jury memberBrenda Blethyn

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ENGLISH SECTION

day

5DIVÁCKÁ CENA / AUDIENCE AWARDDENÍKUVote for the best film of the 43rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival!

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Tuesday, July 8, 2008 free • strana / page 9

Festival DailyTHE OFFICIAL ENGLISH DAILY OF THE 43RD KARLOVY VARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

SPECIAL EDITION OF

Iconic Mexican director and writerAlfredo Ripstein can, just possibly, comeoff a bit negative. He’s fond of saying, forexample, when discussing the influenceof Hollywood on world cinema that peo-ple like Steven Spielberg and MartinScorsese “should be killed.”

Others not generally consideredHollywood types don’t get much more ofa break from Ripstein. “Then you havethese phonies like Lars von Trier,” hesays, arguing that to make a film inEnglish while calling it an attempt toreform the dominance of Hollywood is“pathetic.”

And, despite 44 years of continuousand critically praised work in Mexicanfilm, he describes that labor thus: “It’sjust persistence without hope. Which isthe only way one can do movies inMexico.”

As for the rewards of hard work andgood ideas, he says, “A career in film isbased fundamentally on good luck.”

Ripstein, who clearly enjoys entertain-ing and stunning listeners with his sharptongue, has never been conventional inhis thinking, it’s fair to say. His firstmajor influence, apart from his producerfather, was revolutionary Spanish directorLuis Buñuel, who tried to dissuade ayoung Ripstein from pursuing his careerin film, he says. (Ripstein dispells the“rumor” that he was Buñeul’s assistantdirector on the seminal 1962 filmExterminating Angel, but does concede hewas on set learning everything he possi-bly could.)

Ripstein’s dark, nightmarish visions fillhis most talked-about films, seven ofwhich screen this year in his KVIFF trib-ute: El castillo de la pureza (Castle ofpurity), Los héroes y el tiempo (Heroesand Time), El imperio de la fortuna (TheRealm of Fortune), Lecumberri (TheBlack Palace), La perdición de los hom-bres (The Ruination of Men), La reinade la noche (The Queen of the Night),La virgen de la lujuría (The Virgin ofLust).

Interestingly, the collection includes

documentary work that has proven just asunconventional as Ripstein’s narrativefilms. In The Black Palace, he set out toexplore life in Mexico’s largest prison atthe time the film was made, 1976, knownas Lecumberri. His stark and austere style

was hugely influential with his country-men for years to come.

His follow-up 30 years later, Heroesand Time, in which he locates formerinmates who speak about their strugglefor revolution and the influence of Che

Guevara, is just as affecting, if on a per-sonal level rather than an institutionalone.

Asked today whether he believes thecontroversial Mexican justice system,which locked up many political prisonersand which at the time of The BlackPalace president Luis Echeverría was try-ing to reform, benefitted society in anyway, he says, “I couldn’t answer that. Istill can’t.”

For that reason, he explains, he decidedto make the film “as ambiguous as possi-ble.”

He always assumed The Black Palacewould be seen as his “most Mexican andmost national of films” but soon foundthat it struck a universal chord with audi-ences and, while traveling to film festi-vals, saw it had impact around the world.

As for what drives his dark vision,Ripstein says he’s drawn to somethingbeyond horror because with horror youcan be entertained, knowing it’s all goingto end and you can walk away safe andsound. “Nightmare” is a better word forhis style, he explains.

“With a nightmare you never know ifyou’re going to wake up. Which is whyit’s better for me.”

As for what he considers a high audi-ence number for one of his films, Ripsteinmakes literary allusions. A great work offiction, say a book by Carlos Fuentes, maysell 5000 copies worldwide. If a Ripsteinfilm gets the same number of viewers, hesays, he’d be in good company.

World attention has focused onMexican film of late, but, characteristical-ly perhaps, Ripstein does not find thisgood news. The recent international suc-cess of Mexican directors, like AlfonsoCuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner ofAzkaban), Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy,Pan’s Labyrinth) and Alejandro GonzalezIñárritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams), is aphenomenon he calls “unprecedented.”And it has hardly helped Mexican film:“They all left,” he says, ruminating.

So how does such a director keep frombeing bogged down in his own darkideas?

“Working deliriously,” he answers, witha twinkle in his eye. �

Veteran Mexican filmmaker Arturo Ripstein.

Photo: Lukáš Táborský

Conveniently for those film fanswho may have overdone it a bit (orhad to sit in the aisle of a sold-outmovie), Karlovy Vary happens to beabout more than film festivals. It’salso the most celebrated – andarguably the prettiest – of WestBohemia’s famous spa towns.

Folk have been coming since atleast the Middle Ages for curativetreatments and a soak in the steamymineral water from local springs.

Legend has it that the first hotspring was discovered by a huntingdog used by Czech king and Holy Roman EmperorCharles IV in the mid-14th century, near the conflu-ence of the Ohře and Teplá rivers, which snakethrough the center of town today. The historical factis that Charles did found the city in 1370, the loca-tion chosen for its proximity to 13 main springs andabout 300 smaller ones. The name Teplá, or warmin Czech, is apt – this is why a ghostly mist engulfs

much of the promenade that KVIFFattendees stroll along on cool days.

The town’s fortunes really took off,however, in the 19th century, asfamous literati and glitterati beganspending regular amounts of timehere and Carlsbad, as it was thenknown, began to seep into their poet-ry, novels and parlor room talk. Andeveryone from Peter the Great toGoethe, Beethoven and Karl Marxhave taken to the healing waters. Thetown’s reputation was furtherenhanced by the spread of the popular

Czech liqueur Becherovka and the fine porcelainsand crystal of local producers like Moser.

Appropriately enough, Karlovy Vary has recentlyserved as an evocative setting for films, from 1992’sUtz through to 2006’s Casino Royale. WestBohemian spa-town romance also inspired AlainResnais’s 1961 classic Last Year at Marienbad, ofcourse, but that’s another story… �

So what’s KV famous for besides its film fest?

LowdownOn Monday afternoon, leg-

endary Mexican filmmakerArturo Ripstein was observedsupporting the local economywith some casual shopping. Heproudly displayed his latestpurchase: a porcelain mug ofthe style spa denizens use tocollect mineral water from thetown’s bubbling springs. Buthe had grander plans for thevessel. “This is for tequila,” heannounced.

Ripstein was particularlytaken with the mug’s cylindri-cal shape and the hollow stem,which functions as a straw.“This will get you drunkfaster,” he proclaimed, but fur-ther elaboration was checkedby the arrival of a colleague,filmmaker John Sayles.

Ripstein isn’t the only guestinterested in the Vary shoppingscene. Jury member BrendaBlethyn stumped a Czechjournalist by inquiring aboutthe local grocery situation.

“Where do locals go shop-ping for a loaf of bread?” thestar of Secrets and Lies asked.“Or a tin of beans? Where dothey go? I can’t see any shops.”The hack was nonplussed – nodoubt because extreme dedica-tion to his reporting duties hasprevented him from locatingany sustenance beyond thepress room’s cappuccinomachine.

The Beatles were not theonly 1960s icons to hail fromLiverpool. With a captivatingsmile and big blue eyes,Puffball star Rita Tushinghamwas one of the faces of theflower-power era. This is actu-ally her second time at theKarlovy Vary InternationalFilm Festival. She came hereover 40 years ago with A Tasteof Honey and it seems thatKVIFF’s organizers might bethe reason she has not had sucha high profile the swinging six-ties. “They locked me up in acupboard and only let me outnow,” she said.

Laura McGinnis, Will Tizard

Arturo Ripstein: 44 years of darkness Legendary Mexican director specializes in persistence without hope

KNOWLEDGE�

STRANA / PAGE 10 TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2008

denicek@kviff.com

FESTIVAL DAILYTHE OFFICIAL ENGLISH DAILY OF THE 43RD KARLOVY VARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

RECOMMEND�Anna Franklin Executive Editor, Film New Europe

The Bug TrainerDirector: Donatas Ulvydas, Linas Augutis, Marek Skrobecki, 2008July 8, 1pm, Panasonic Cinema

This is an example of a Central European documentary co-pro-duction functioning as it should. This Lithuanian, Polish, Japanese,German joint effort is about Ladislas Starewitch (sometimes calledthe European Walt Disney), who was one of the pioneers of anima-tion. Starewitch was a Moscow native of Polish descent. He com-prised an interesting mix of cultures and is a fascinating subject.Not mainstream fare for sure, but should not to be missed, especial-ly by animation buffs.

Teddy BearDirector: Jan Hřebejk, Czech Republic, 2007July 8, 3.30pm, Small Hall – Thermal

Jan Hřebejk is arguably one of the finest Czech directors of hisgeneration. While he often delves into a nostalgic look at Czechrecent history with Divided We Fall, Big Beat and Cosy Dens, thistime he and his favorite scriptwriter Petr Jarchovský look at theirown generation. Both tragic and comic, the film has already beena major success in the Czech Republic. While it might not have thecozy feel of some of his recent films, foreign audiences should stillenjoy Hřebejk’s signature humor.

Katyn Director: Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 2007July 8, 5pm, Karlovy Vary Theater

Poland’s greatest living director Andrzej Wajda’s own father waskilled at Katyn, the notorious massacre of Polish intelligentsia bySoviet troops in WWII. Perhaps the most extraordinary thing aboutthis film is that it portrays the Russians not as monsters but as humanbeings who also suffered under Stalin’s oppression and – as in thecase of the Russian officer portrayed by Sergei Garmash – evenrisked their own lives to help save the Polish civilians. A must see.

Pictures of the Old WorldDirector: Dušan Hanák, Czechoslovakia, 1972July 8, 12.30pm, Small Hall – Thermal

Banned in Czechoslovakia under communism, this film is part ofthe homage to Slovak director Dušan Hanák and gives today’s audi-ences a chance to see why he is considered one of the greatest film-makers of the Czech New Wave even though his films are less wellknown to foreign audiences than those of Jiří Menzel or VěraChytilová. Pictures of the Old World is inspired by the work of theSlovak photographer, Martin Martinček, but Hanák turns it intoa film of epic poetry. Don’t miss a rare chance to see this movie onthe big screen. �

�

It’s 2pm and the Thermal’s press confer-ence hall is buzzing as fans and journalistsfile in to meet the cast and crew of NightOwls.

One of two Czech features competing inthis year’s Official Selection, Night Owlsdraws a decent crowd. Most of the hall’sseats are full, and several spectators standat the back of the room as journalists andfans ask the panel questions about musicselection and how director MichaelaPavlátová transformed Czech heartthrobJiři Mádl into the homely misfit he plays inthe film. (Answers: Pavlátová specificallysought out a contemporary sound, andMádl submitted to the transformation withfull professionalism, although he was ini-tially reluctant to accept the role.)

The opportunity to meet the creativeminds behind their favorite films drawshundreds of Czechs to KVIFF every year,which is one of the reasons festival organ-izers always screen a handful of recentlydistributed Czech films. This year there areCzech features and documentaries in theOfficial Selection, East of the West, FreshSelection and the Best of the Prague ShortFilm Festival. But the Czech Films sidebaris specifically dedicated to films that weredistributed in the Czech Republic in 2007and 2008. This sidebar gives members ofthe international film industry a chance tosee the films for the first time, and allowsnational audiences to catch up on filmsthey may have missed in the cinema.

“The 10 films we selected are the oneswe think would be most interesting for thefilmmakers and industry people that cometo the festival,” says festival programmer

Lenka Tyrpáková. Some Czech films havea distinctly national flavor and don’t res-onate as well with international audiences,she says. So the festival staff tries tochoose films with more universal appeal.

“The most important characteristic is, ofcourse, quality,” Tyrpáková says. “But wealso try to select films which are under-standable abroad and are not focused onCzech viewers.”

The staff also invites filmmakers andactors to present the films and discussthem with the public. The Q&A sessionsare extremely popular, Tyrpáková says:“Czech viewers can see the films in thecinema, of course, but the festival is theplace where they can actually meet thedirectors and ask questions.”

The films in this sidebar include worksby new and established directors covering

a variety of genres, topics and styles. The Can is a story about youth and

maturity, rebellion and responsibility. Twoschoolboys defy their parents by cuttingclass and tagging the neighborhood. Thetwo generations lock horns over thisbehavior, each mystified by the values ofthe other.

Citizen Havel documents personal andpolitical events in the life of former presi-dent Václav Havel, one of the most influen-tial characters in modern Czech history.This documentary is a collaborative effortbetween Miroslav Janek and the late PavelKoutecký.

Dolls is the directorial debut of FAMUgraduate Karin Babinská. Three teenagershit the road, but discover that freedom andmaturity sometimes have a steep price.

Messy modern relationships, a popular

Producer Kristina Löbbertand director Nana Neul arrived atthe festival today with their filmTo Faro. Directors Jan Hřebejk(Teddy Bear), Miloslav Novák(Peace with Seals), Jana Boková(Bye ByeShanghai) andMartin Duda(I Am Biggerand Better) arealso expected toarrive today.And you willstill havea chance tocatch up withfilmmakers Vassilis Douvlis (TheHomecoming), Marion Laine (ASimple Heart) and MiroslavJanek (Citizen Havel). DPRamunas Greičius (The BugTrainer, Little Girl Blue), direc-tor/producer Lukáš Přibyl(Forgotten Transports: ToEstonia) and producer KateřinaČerná (René, Night Owls) are intown and producer PetrOukropec, director MichaelaPavlátová, and actress LenkaTermerová arealso here withNight Owls.ProducersMichaëlGoldberg andBoris Van Gils,directorManuelPoutte, actressAmélie Daure,and actor Jean-FrançoisStevenin are here with DistantTremors. Producer AlasdairFlind and director BenjaminRoss (Poppy Shakespeare) arealso at KVIFF. �

Latest local films showcased at KVIFFPopular sidebar highlights the wealth of Czech movie talent

Manuel Poutte

Benjamin Ross

Laura McGinnis

Citizen Havel, one of the movies featured in the Czech Films section.

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theme in Czech film, form the foundationof Frankie Is a Womanizer, a story abouta middle-aged psychiatrist whose love ofthe fairer sex gets him into heaps of trou-ble.

Little Girl Blue won three Czech Lionawards for this story about a woman whohas everything – except a piano. Her questto find one forces her to reevaluate herseemingly perfect life, and her future.

Peace with Seals is a documentary aboutthe dwindling Mediterranean seal popula-tion and the sunbathers who threaten them.This is a light but serious treatment ofa significant problem: humankind’s detri-mental domination of the global habitat.

In the multi-national productionRoming, a Roma man sets out with his sonand a friend, ostensibly to find a wife.Along the way, their trip takes absurd andoccasionally dangerous turns, and all threecome to know themselves and one anotherin a new way.

Sorrow of Mme. Schneider is a Czech-Albanian production directed by Albania’sPiro Milkani. The semi-autobiographicalfilm is set in 1961, as three FAMU studentsattempt to make a graduate film.

In Teddy Bear, Jan Hřebejk presentsa story about three friends whose livesdiverge after they leave school. As theygrow older, their personal relationships aretested by secrets, lies and misunderstand-ings.

Based on a true story, Václav isa tragicomedy about an autistic villagerwho frequently comes into conflict withthe members of his community. Tensionescalates when one of his actions landshim in prison.

“We hope the films in this section andthe other sidebars will be interesting forthe festival’s international guests and forCzech fans as well,” Tyrpáková says. �

STRANA / PAGE 11TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2008

denicek@kviff.com

FESTIVAL DAILYTHE OFFICIAL ENGLISH DAILY OF THE 43RD KARLOVY VARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

SELECTION�Dr. Alemán – an innocent abroad

German director TomSchreiber’s Dr. Alemán isa classic tale of cultural disloca-tion. August Diehl (whom youmay have seen in this year’sOscar-winning foreign-languagefilm The Counterfeiters) playsa young German doctor, Marc,who takes up an internship ata hospital in the Colombian cityof Cali. The curious physicianbecomes interested in the mafia-controlled favela of Siloé afterencountering several horrificgangland injuries in his work. Hesoon becomes immersed in thelife there, befriending youngteenage assassins and falling inlove with a beautiful kiosk owner.When a vicious local gang leaderattaches himself to Marc and triesto enlist him as his personal doc-tor, the naive idealist finds him-self being forced to make choicesthat have tragic consequences.

The picture’s strikingly realis-tic depiction of life ina Colombian slum has much to dowith the fact that the story isbased on letters Schreiberreceived from a medical-studentfriend of his who worked in Cali.

This detailed firsthand infor-mation was then augmented bysome meticulous research, whichsaw Schreiber and his crew travelout to Colombia one and a halfyears before shooting.

“We visited Cali for the firsttime not only to see whether ourimagination had anything to dowith reality, but also to seewhether Cali was the right placeto tell this story,” he says. “And of

course we wanted to find out if itwas feasible to shoot a film theway we wanted to in Colombia,because even after all ourresearch we still had all the fearsand clichés most people haveabout that place.”

Thankfully, Schreiber foundCali to be the perfect location.Besides offering a visuallyauthentic backdrop to the story,the Siloé district also epitomisedthe dichotomy of existence ina South American favela. “It con-stantly seemed to change betweentwo opposite faces,” saysSchreiber. “On the one hand itsaid a huge ‘yes’ to life and hap-piness; on the other hand it wasfull of violence and the peopleliving there faced a very seriousstruggle for survival.”

The film crew had to elicit thesupport of the locals in order to beable to make the film there.Naturally, there is great suspicionon both sides when you start to

make contacts in a place likeSiloé, says Schreiber. “On oneside, there are our fears and, onthe other side, there is the peo-ple’s fear that a film will onlycover the negative reputation ofthe place and spread it throughoutthe world.”

To allay these concerns, themovie’s producers worked closelywith community leaders and evencame to an agreement with crimebosses so that they could shoot inthe favela. They also recruitedpeople from Siloé to play the roleslocated in the area. “This turnedthe film into a project of the dis-trict itself,” says Schreiber. “Manypeople could take part and identi-fy with it.”

Dr. Alemán screens today at5pm in the Thermal’s GrandHall and tomorrow at 1pm in theEspace Dorleans Cinema

Cóilín O’ConnorKateřina Rathouská

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SELECTION�Pretexts – a study of bourgeois ennui

Today’s Official Selection filmPretexts is the feature-film debutof well-known Spanish actressand classically trained dancerSilvia Munt. It focuses on thefraught marriage of theatre direc-tor Viena (played by Munt her-self) and her geriatrician husbandDaniel (Ramon Madaula). As thecouples become increasinglyestranged, Viena finds herselfgravitating toward the lead actorin her latest play while Danielbecomes increasingly close toEva, a meek and conscientiousnurse at the hospital where heworks. Munt spoke with the Dailybefore coming to KVIFF.

� What inspired the story forPretexts?

The story arose from the intentto be sincere and to reflect myown reality – the reality of ourcoddled, unsatisfied, middle-classlives. It appears as though wedon’t have problems, but we keephaving the same problems asalways: love and the passage oftime, which, definitively, are theessential problems. � So is the film autobio-

graphical?I am not Viena. All the charac-

ters actually reflect generationalproblems, peculiar to people ofmy age. I am more normal: I amthe mother of three daughters;I have a different relationshipwith work. In fact, Viena and Eva[played by Laia Marull] are twofaces of the same coin. Eva wouldbe the more tragic. Eva sees

through people... is sensitive tothe pain of others, fragile, gener-ous. She is like a character of thenight, with a dark side. In all ofthe characters, there is an impres-sive jumble of experiences. � You co-wrote the script for

Pretexts with Eva Baeza, who’sa good deal younger than you.Was there any generation gapin the way you work?

The difference in age was noinfluence. Me and Eva under-stand one another. I believe thatwe have complementary charac-ters: I am more chaotic and pas-sionate, and Eva is more rationaland structured. This is how she is;it has nothing to do with age. Sheis a friend and a collaborator.� What prompted you to

make the documentary ElenaDimitrievna Diakonova: Gala,about Paula Éluarda, SalvadorDalí’s muse?

I wanted to show the true faceof the character – a very strong,

intelligent woman, mistreated bymisogyny and machismo and alsoa personality with contradictions.I wanted to reclaim a characterwho had been greatly malignedby a macho and misogynisticworld. It was a passionate experi-ence.� You trained as a dancer.

How did you move into acting?I was choreographing for

a theater group and they offeredme the role of Puck inA Midsummer Night’s Dream,one of the most complicated andemblematic Shakespearean roles.This enabled me to continueexperimenting. In my opinion,there are no watertight divisions.All the disciplines are media forexpression.

Pretexts screens today at 8pmin the Thermal’s Grand Hall andtomorrow at 10am in the EspaceDorleans Cinema.

Honza Dědek

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STRANA / PAGE 12 TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2008

denicek@kviff.com

FESTIVAL DAILYTHE OFFICIAL ENGLISH DAILY OF THE 43RD KARLOVY VARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

DOING HERE?�

Marian MasoneNew York, USA

� Why are you at KVIFF?I’m with the Film Society of

Lincoln Center in New York. I’mhere mostly as a programmer,looking at films that we may put infuture programs. I’m looking fornew filmmakers and I’m alsolooking at a lot of documentaries.It’s also an opportunity to playa little catch-up on some thingsI maybe didn’t see at Cannes soI try to do everything. I try to dotoo much. It’s the wonderful prob-lem that I have.� Is this your first time at

Karlovy Vary?This is actually my third time.

I came three years ago witha colleague – Linda Blackaby,who’s the director of program-ming at the San FranciscoInternational Film Festival – andI liked it so much that I decided tocome back. It’s a really enjoyablefestival. There’s a lot to see, butthere’s also this really wonderfulsort of casual atmosphere. AlreadyI’ve got some ideas for future pro-gramming at the Walter ReadeTheater at Lincoln Center. So allin all, I’d say it’s been pretty valu-able so far, and I’ve got two moredays! �

Grand Jury member BrendaBlethyn is one of Britain’s mostacclaimed actresses. In recentyears she has appeared in thefilm adaptations of literaryworks, Pride and Prejudice andAtonement.

� Did you always want to beinvolved in film?

As a child I loved going to thecinema, but to me those peopleup on the screen were fromanother planet. They weren’t realpeople. They were far moreremote than actors are today.I never even dreamed thatI would be part of that. I didn’teven think about it. And I cameinto the profession by defaultreally. I joined an amateur dra-matic group when I was workingfor British Rail as a secretary.The drama group was enteringa competition and somebody wassick so they asked me to come inand do one line. I had never doneanything like that but they weredesperate so I helped them out.� Then you got the acting

bug?Yes, I enjoyed the ethic of

everybody working together.Somebody building the set, thenthere were actors, somebodymaking the costumes, somebodyselling the tickets, somebodydoing the lights. And I loved thatensemble of togetherness, thecamaraderie of making anevening work.� When did you start acting

in film?Nick Roeg gave me my first

job in film – in The Witches.

That was my very first job ina feature film. And whata wonderful man he is. I was soexcited to see him the other

night at the Grandhotel Pupp inKarlovy Vary. � Were you surprised at the

success of your third feature

film, Mike Leigh’s Secrets andLies, for which you received anOscar nomination?

Well, yes and no, becauseI like all of his films. I wasalways surprised that the otherfilms had never had that trajecto-ry. To be honest, I didn’t reallyknow what it was about till I sawit in the cinema, because it’s allimprovised. There’s no script soyou’re only aware of your ownparticipation. So naturallyI assumed it would have thesame response as all the others.But it didn’t. It suddenly cap-tured that international appealand it just took off. Lucky forme!� What direction would you

like your career to take in thefuture?

I am somebody devoid ofambition. I never have had ambi-tion. What I want is never veryfar out of my grasp. I have tostretch for it sometimes, ontippy-toe, maybe jump a littlebit, and I can just reach it. I’mnot somebody who wants thestars. � What does it mean for you

to be on the Jury at KarlovyVary?

Everyone is a critic. We allhave our opinions of every filmwe see. It’s just so nice to bewith people such as Ivan(Passer), the president of thejury, and all these wonderfulpeople, including an Oscar-win-ning cinematographer. I’m a bitof an ignoramus but to be able tosit and talk about film with peo-ple like that is a pleasure. Andhere in Karlovy Vary it’s anadded pleasure. �

Jury member and “actress by default” Brenda Blethyn.

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Pub WatchRestaurace VostokDivadelní 1036/13� 773 252 034Fest opening hours: 12pm “till the last person leaves” (usually around midnight)

Smelling something likemoldering cigarettes and old car-pet, Vostok doesn’t make a fabu-lous first impression. But plungepast that olfactory assault at thedoor and you’ll find a cozy estab-lishment within. Service isprompt and the atmosphere ischeery and bright. The bar playspop tunes just loud enough tocover any lulls in the conversa-tion, a welcome change from theskull-pounding bass at many ofthe watering holes along the mainthoroughfare.

Side EventsGot a minute? Stop by the

orange tent at the base of theHotel Thermal this week and hopon a stationary bike. You’ll bestretching your legs and support-ing several charities, as the ČEZOrange Bicycle Foundation willdonate a sum equal to the amountof energy generated. From 11amto 5pm, non-profit Helping Pawswill demonstrate assistance-dog-training techniques. Round outyour day with a relaxing swim atthe Thermal pool (open 8.30am to9pm). In the hills above the hotel,the Thermal pool offers a stunningview of the town for hotel patronsand the general public. A one-hour ticket costs 80 CZK, but dis-counts are available for students,families and large groups.

Re Carlo Pizzeria-ristoranteMoskevská 5� 733 217 388Open daily from 10am to 2am.Bar open around the clock.

If you’re looking for some-thing hot, filling and close-at-hand, Re Carlo is an obviouschoice. About a 5-minute walkfrom the Hotel Thermal, thepizzeria offers light, crisp pieswith all the standard toppings –and a few more adventurousoptions – most of them about 95-155 CZK. The restaurant alsooffers palatable pasta dishes for79-135 CZK. With pockets ofbackpackers and other film fanspassing by the terrace, you’re

unlikely to mistake your locationfor Rome proper, but Re Carlodoes offer some of the moreauthentic Italian interpretationsavailable in Karlovy Vary (79-135 CZK).

Repre RestaurantJana Palacha 2� 733 122 293Open daily from 10am to 10pm

Another restaurant in the hot-and-close-by file is Repre,which offers daily lunch spe-cials at great value (85 CZK forsoup and lunch). The menu line-up includes the usual Czech sus-pects – goulash, fried cheese,gnocchi, etc. – plus a few moresurprising choices, such as

Mexican goulash and noodleswith broccoli. Dinner prices areslightly higher, with chickendishes running from 130 to 170CZK and Czech cuisine runningfrom 69 CZK (bratwurst) to 180CZK (pork knee). Repre offersboth outdoor and subterraneandining.

XXX LongVřídelní 23-94� 353 224 232Fest opening hours: 11am till 1or 2am as required

With a wall-to-wall chic ethic,this plush little Italian eatery isa place to nosh your gnocchi instyle to be sure. Its motto, “Noteverything cool must be expen-

sive,” is encouraging, thoughyou could easily blow througha few bucks here. Nonetheless,the creamy color scheme, PhilipStark designs, banquette seatingand chrome accents do make fora Hollywood-style experience ifyou need to woo a star orimpress a potential producer.Aside from the delicious pastasand delicate pizzas, the grilledsteaks (200-390 CZK) and fish(up to 850 CZK) are preparedwith a deft touch and flavorfulsauces. One word of caution:take your mother’s advice anddress for dinner. You don’t needto pull out the tux and ball gown,but you’re likely to a feel awk-ward if you don’t spruce yourselfup a bit.

TOWN� �Food and Drink

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A KVIFFling samples the local specialty. Behold! The Crystal Globe! Fun and games outside the Thermal.

Photo: Laura McGinnis Photo: KVIFF Photo: KVIFF

Docu-makersshow morethan talent

Documentaries are hot proper-ties these days, as KVIFF pro-grammers know all too well. TheirDocu Talents from the East eventprovides scouts from the West witha look at nine of the most interest-ing documentaries from the regionthat are seeking distributors.

Some are in mid-productionwhile others are complete and justundergoing final soundtrackadjustment, and the range of ideas– and technical quality – is wide.But the energy level of filmmakersis uniformly high, with backingfrom Prague’s Institute forDocumentary Film, which organ-izes the event, along with theJihlava International DocumentaryFestival and KVIFF.

Projects that generated a buzz ata special presentation yesterdayincluded, Vit Klusák and FilipRemunda’s Radar – The CzechPeace, an ironic view of theUnited States’ lobby to installa military radar base on Czechsoil. The film strikes a similar toneto that of Czech Dream, the docu-mentary the pair made in 2004 asa send-up of Czech consumermania. A Slovak film by MarkoŠkop, Osadné-Brussels-Osadné,gently pokes fun at a small vil-lage’s big dreams for scoringEuropean Union funding for newamenities. Black and WhiteWindow, an Estonian film thattakes a fond look at memories ofreceiving forbidden Western tele-vision signals before 1989, wasanother film that generated a lot ofinterest. Cinema Komunisto,a Serbian look at massive film stu-dios set up by movie-obsessed dic-tator Josip Broz Tito, also createda stir. WT

Actors were from another planetFormer secretary Brenda Blethyn can’t believe her luck