Published: June 29, 2016| 06:35 PM

​A Hologram for the King

​New Tom Tykwer's film​ in the Horizons section on Fri, July 8 in the Grand Hall at 10:30pm.

Tom Hanks is without doubt one of Hollywood’s very brightest stars, and in A Hologram for the King he once again shows why such praise is richly deserved. He stars as Alan Clay, an IT businessman whose life has become rather complicated: His wife recently divorced him, he doesn’t have the money to pay for his daughter’s tuition, and, above all, he’s trying to jumpstart a washed-up career. To this end, Alan heads for the Arabian Peninsula to present a revolutionary teleconferencing system to the King of Saudi Arabia – and perhaps the only thing that can save him now is a long-ago acquaintance who happens to be the monarch’s nephew. Seasoned director Tom Tykwer demonstrates that the old “American businessman in the Middle East” premise can yield much more than a series of picaresque situations. In his new movie, the clash of cultures is staked out with tasteful, cultivated humor and a pleasing dose of melancholy. The adaptation of Dave Egger’s eponymous novel rewards lovers of breathtaking exotic scenery, and will satisfy everyone looking for an upbeat show that doesn’t insult their intelligence.

Fortune rarely smiles on Alan Clay (Tom Hanks), an IT businessman who arrives in Saudi Arabia to present the hottest new teleconferencing system to the king. Although the clash of cultures is an obvious trope, legendary director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) pulls off the humor with nuanced aplomb.

German director, screenwriter, producer, and film music composer Tom Tykwer (b. 1965) gained traction with the early feature Deadly Maria (Die tödliche Maria, 1993). Four years later he came out with the highly regarded Winters Sleepers (Winterschläfer). He established his reputation with his next film, the hit Run Lola Run (Lola rennt, 1998) starring Franka Potente, which earned him Best Foreign Film at the Independent Spirit Awards and the Audience Award at Sundance. In addition to The Princess & the Warrior (Der Krieger und die Kaiserin, 2000), his filmography also includes the big-budget pictures Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) and Cloud Atlas (2012).

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Film from the Horizons section will be screened twice: Sun, July 3 in Karlovy Vary Theatre at 10pm and Sat, July 7 in Národní dům at 10am.    

Ricky is a hard-to-control, hip-hop teen who is growing up in foster care. But when he ends up with a new family in the New Zealand countryside, his life takes a bizarre turn. Through no fault of his own, city-bred Ricky finds himself on the run through the inhospitable bush with his crotchety foster father. With the police hot on their heels, our two unlikely renegades have no choice but to cast aside their differences and join forces in an unequal contest… After the enchanting vampire mockumentaryWhat We Do in the Shadows, Taika Waititi has adapted a humorous work by popular New Zealand author and legendary bushman Barry Crump. The brilliant road-movie comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which premiered at this year’s Sundance, renders a touching story about the strength of family and the pitfalls of adolescence. Thirteen-year-old rising star Julian Dennison shines in the role of Ricky, while veteran actor Sam Neill is simply irresistible as his guardian.

Taika Waititi (b. 1975, Wellington, New Zealand) is a New Zealand comedian, director, screenwriter and painter. As a student of theatre at Victoria University of Wellington, he was a member of the So You’re a Man theatre ensemble, a popular success in New Zealand and Australia. He eventually began to work in film, gaining fame with the Academy-Award nominated short Two Cars, One Night (2005), followed by Eagle vs Shark(2007). In 2009 he adapted his acclaimed short film into the feature Boy – the highest-earning New Zealand film of all time. In 2014, Waititi joined with New Zealand actor-musician Jemaine Clement to create the audience hit What We Do in the Shadows(screened at KVIFF 49), a ghoulish mocku-flick that saw both serving as directors, screenwriters, and lead actors. As with Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the movie premiered at Sundance before hitting the fest circuit and winning numerous awards.