Partners of the 45th KV IFF

Dear Guests

It is my great honour to greet you – also this year – on behalf of ČEZ Group, which has become the General Partner of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival already for tenth year in a row.

We greatly appreciate that we can put our name to that of this major cultural and social event which the festival – without doubt – is in the context of the Czech Republic and abroad.

Thousands of people will visit Karlovy Vary in the nine days of July. The nine days will be filled with the unique spirit of the 46th year and the screenings of two hundred films from all over the world. The festival in Karlovy Vary has – over its long existence – earned its renown at the local and international scene. It is often put at the same par with such events like the film festivals in Venice, Cannes or Berlin; and it is undeniably the biggest film event in Central and Eastern Europe. For ČEZ Group, the film festival and its visitors have one thing in common – it is energy. Energy which we make and distribute, so that cinemas, streets and the city comes alight; energy of films shown at the festival and their stories; and – last but not least – energy and excitement brought to Karlovy Vary by all fans, friends and visitors of the festival.

Summer is the time of year for festivals of not only film but also of music. Music fans travel the country in droves to appreciate live performances of their favourite artists or acts, and to dance under the open sky. It was only logical to organise such an event also here, in Karlovy Vary, and to attract the best of what the Czech music scene has to offer. Already for third year in a row, ČEZ has organised Energy Fest, a one day music festival for all visitors of the film festival. If anybody feels down on energy after the packed programme of the film festival, they can come here to ‘recharge their batteries’.

I, as much as you, look forward to many encounters with film and music, to the best that the festival will bring us this year from the creative workshops of Czech and foreign artists.

Martin Roman
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Our support of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is no accidental or isolated activity. It has been part of RWE’s long-term project – Energy of Czech Film, which focuses on the development of Czech cinematography. Through this project, we have, for six years, been providing financial support amounting to more than 25 million Czech crowns for the making of feature films, documents and screenplays as well as the training of future filmmakers.

The Karlovy Vary Festival has occupied an exceptional position in this context. Our cooperation has lasted sixteen years, so it saw the beginning of our partnership with the Czech film. This is where we meet both filmmakers and the audience every year. The atmosphere is excellent, the organisers are amazing and the accompanying programme is rich. In short, there are many reasons to visit Karlovy Vary in early July, and it is an honour and a pleasure for RWE to be part of it.

Martin Herrmann
Chairman of the Board of Directors, CEO
RWE Transgas, a.s.

I am very pleased that Vodafone, for the fifth time in a row already, can partake in ensuring that festival attendees enjoy the biggest Czech film event of the year. In this way we are continuing to intensify a fine tradition of cooperation between a mobile operator and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

In addition to direct support of this event, we are traditionally providing festival attendees with a ticket booking system via SMS, so that they can avoid extensive queuing in front of the cash desks.

For the first time this year brings Vodafone, together with the Aeroport club, the concept of Cinema Royal to film fans in Karlovy Vary. It is a film screening at an exclusive location away from traditional cinemas,

All the festival attendees can look forward to using the Star Club, in front of the Thermal hotel, at which all festival fans can have their pictures taken for free like movie stars.

Moreover, also this year, Vodafone is going to organize a golf tournament, in which more than 100 players ranging from Vodafone business customers to actors and filmmakers will participate.

Looking forward to see you in Vary!

Muriel Anton, CEO Vodafone Czech Republic

Karlovy Vary and the International Film Festival go together for decades, actually from the very beginning in 1946. By the way, the same year, some 600 miles southwestwards, another now popular film festival started in a French city of Cannes.

The mutuality of our city and the Festival is exclusive: Karlovy Vary present every year the largest film festival in the Czech Republic, and the International Film Festival Karlovy Vary is every year the largest event in - otherwise also quite eventful - city of Karlovy Vary.

Every year I am eagerly looking forward to seeing what the Festival brings new. I can remember times, when the festival ran once every two years, because it had to take turns with a film festival in Moscow. When the it was - like most of the things in our country at that time - merely a political propaganda of the success of our social order, and the successes of our brother nations, similarly socially ordered countries.

But then, I remember also the heroic times when the city and the festival fought for the "A" category, new people, new view of the festival as a real feast of movies. Times, when the politically conscious audience suddenly changed into the "backpackers", the true "homo festivalensis" of today. These were wonderful times, something between appropriate official seriousness and unbelievable street zaniness - and I am really happy that the Festival keeps these two extremes in a well-balanced mix up to these days.

I am looking forward to meeting you all during the 46. International Film Festival here in Karlovy Vary. It seems though, that for the first time I will have to give up my favourite dose of the Silver Screen illusions, like 20-30 screenings. Being mayor, you see. But despite this, I believe I am going to have an amazing festive experience this year, and I wish all of you the same!

Petr Kulhánek
Lord mayor of Karlovy Vary