Published: July 02, 2023| 12:12 PM

“It’s not very often that a film screened at a major festival like Sundance gets selected only a month later for another major festival – in Berlin. It proves that this is a truly exceptional piece,” said Karel Och, artistic director of KVIFF, to the audience in the Grand Hall. He introduced the sensitive romance Past Lives, a result of co-production between South Korea and the U.S. 

A two-member delegation headed by director and screenwriter Celine Song arrived in Karlovy Vary from the United States to present the film. “It’s extraordinary that I can show the film in the Czech Republic. This is my third time here already, and I’ve even been here on my honeymoon. And, of course, I grew up with Milan Kundera’s books and Menzel’s films. Czech Republic has a special place in my heart,” Song told the audience.

She was accompanied on stage by producer Christine Vachon, one of the most prominent women in American independent film. She has worked on classics such as Velvet Goldmine and Boys Don’t Cry and at the 57th KVIFF she also presents other “hot” titles like You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder starring Ewan and Clara McGregor.