July 3 - 11, 2009
The Karlovy Vary IFF presents over 220 feature films from all over the world every year. Apart from the films in the special retrospectives, most of the films are screened in the Czech Republic each year for the first time, many of them in their world, international or European premiere as well. This year again, the audience will have chance to see interesting retrospectives and focuses apart from the traditional program sections.
The exceptional status of the Karlovy Vary IFF Official Selection - Competition always ensures that these films attract the largest audiences. Only films made after January 1, 2008 which haven´t been previously shown in the competition of another international film festival may be included; films selected are generally world, international or European premieres.
As stipulated by the FIAPF festival statute, we present a complete list of competing films 14 days before the start of the festival
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Film screenings:
Angel at Sea | Un ange à la mer514 - 7.7., 17:00, Grand Hall 6E2 - 8.7., 13:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Frédéric Dumont Belgium, Canada, 2009, 86 min, WP Twelve-year-old Louis lives with his parents and older brother in a small town in southern Morocco. Louis is a happy boy until the moment when his father tells him a secret that only they will share. This successful feature debut relies on excellent performances by Olivier Gourmet, Anne Consigny, and especially the convincing Martin Nissen as Louis. The movie is gorgeous to look at, and features a gripping story. Who’s seeing the film:
Anna Kareninová |
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Film screenings:
Applause | Applause216 - 4.7., 20:00, Grand Hall 3E1 - 5.7., 10:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Martin Pieter Zandvliet Denmark, 2009, 86 min, WP Danish director Martin Pieter Zandvliet debuts with a suggestive psychological portrait of an actress whose life has been destroyed by alcohol; now, after a stint in rehab, she tries to regain what is (as she states herself at least), most important to her: her two young boys. |
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Film screenings:
Black Sheep | Oveja negra613 - 8.7., 14:00, Grand Hall 7E4 - 9.7., 19:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Humberto Hinojosa Ozcáriz Mexico, 2009, 83 min, IP Arthur flags down a truck on the motorway during the night. In order to stop his weary driver from falling asleep in front of the wheel, he tells him a gripping story about two friends – shepherds – who decide to take their hapless fate into their own hands. A tale of courage, adventure, love and friendship, in which the characters are confronted with their dreams. Who’s seeing the film:
Vojtech Rynda |
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Film screenings:
Cold Souls | Cold Souls716 - 9.7., 20:00, Grand Hall 8E1 - 10.7., 10:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Sophie Barthes USA, 2008, 101 min, EP A melancholic comedy by debuting Sophie Barthes which presents Paul Giamatti as a New York stage actor who decides to confront his approaching nervous breakdown by having his soul extracted and deep-frozen. Gogol, Buñuel, Jung and Woody Allen were the inspiration behind this original film, screened for the first time at this year’s Sundance festival. Who’s seeing the film:
Šimon Šafránek, Irena Hejdová, Ivo Andrle, Karel Spěšný, Jan P. Muchow, Jolka Krásná |
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Film screenings:
Freedom | Tutta colpa di Giuda414 - 6.7., 17:00, Grand Hall 5E2 - 7.7., 13:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Davide Ferrario Italy, 2009, 102 min, IP When a young avantgarde director decides to stage the Easter Passion in a prison, she has no idea how much the experience will change her life and what problems she’ll be up against: none of the inmates involved in the play wants to take on the role of Judas. This musical comedy features performances from actual prisoners. Who’s seeing the film:
Jolka Krásná |
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Film screenings:
Himalaya, Where the Wind Dwells | Barami Memounen Got, Himalaya714 - 9.7., 17:00, Grand Hall 8E2 - 10.7., 13:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Jeon Soo-il South Korea, France, 2008, 95 min, IP A minimalist film which follows the mission of an aging Korean man who, wearing a business suit and an overcoat, arrives in a remote little village high up in the mountainous region of Nepal. His anabasis captured in distanced shots reflects the process of inner revival but also refutes the idealistic tradition of “journeys from the city”. Who’s seeing the film:
Jolka Krásná |
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Film screenings:
I am Not Your Friend | Nem vagyok a barátod616 - 8.7., 20:00, Grand Hall 7E1 - 9.7., 10:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: György Pálfi Hungary, 2009, 100 min, IP Sara loves Mark and they are expecting a baby. He loves her too, but he also loves Sophie. She has eyes for Andras, it’s just that he’s married to Rita, who looks after young Natasha – and so on and so forth. His new project confirms director György Pálfi (Taxidermia) as an experimental provocateur. This highly cynical mosaic of disaffected relationships came together in 20 days of improvisation by the filmmakers and nine amateur actors. Who’s seeing the film:
Šimon Šafránek, Ivo Andrle, Karel Spěšný, Jolka Krásná, Vojtech Rynda, František Fuka |
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Film screenings:
Piggies | Świnki516 - 7.7., 20:00, Grand Hall 6E1 - 8.7., 10:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Robert Gliński Poland, Germany, 2009, 94 min, WP Tomek is a good student, he’s interested in astronomy and plays football to please his father. Except that he lives in a little border town plagued by unemployment and poverty, whereas, on the other side of the river, lies Germany with all its relative affluence. When Tomek meets Marta at his first disco and falls in love with her, he starts to think up ways of earning money in order to keep her interested. He has no idea of the brutal fate which awaits him. |
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Film screenings:
Soul at Peace | Pokoj v duši413 - 6.7., 14:00, Grand Hall 5E4 - 7.7., 19:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Vladimír Balko Slovak Republic, 2009, 97 min, IP Tono, a man in his forties, is released after many years in prison and tries to resume his life as an ordinary citizen. Jiří Křižan’s script, Martin Štrba’s camerawork and meticulous direction from Vladimír Balko together create a compelling tragedy about crime and its consequences, the desire to start afresh in spite of spectres from the past, about faith in good things, and a propensity towards evil. |
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Film screenings:
Twenty | Bist316 - 5.7., 20:00, Grand Hall 4E1 - 6.7., 10:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Abdolreza Kahani Iran, 2009, 88 min, IP Only twenty days remain before the closure of a small restaurant, and its staff, for whom working for Mr Soleimani means much more than a mere source of income, decide to do something about it. The initial tragi-comic situation turns into a moving psychological drama not only about people, but also about the place and age in which they live. Who’s seeing the film:
Karel Spěšný |
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Film screenings:
Villa Amalia | Villa Amalia314 - 5.7., 17:00, Grand Hall 4E2 - 6.7., 13:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Benoît Jacquot France, Switzerland, 2008, 97 min, IP When Ann sees her partner kissing another woman, she decides not only to end their long-standing relationship, but also to erase her past completely. She wants to start again with a clean slate, even though she’s not as young as she used to be. An old, abandoned house above the sea might be the place where she finds her footing again. No actress could have portrayed Ann with such conviction as Isabelle Huppert. |
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Film screenings:
Whisky with Vodka | Whisky mit Wodka416 - 6.7., 20:00, Grand Hall 5E1 - 7.7., 10:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Andreas Dresen Germany, 2009, 108 min, IP Renowned actor Otto is as well-liked as he is moody. So what happens when a nervous director hires an understudy? This tragicomedy, by the director of the festival hit Cloud 9 (Karlovy Vary IFF 2008), is enhanced by a “film within a film” about unforeseen relationship intrigues. Will the rest of the crew, let alone audiences, take a liking to Otto? |
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Film screenings:
Will Not Stop There | Nije kraj614 - 8.7., 17:00, Grand Hall 7E2 - 9.7., 13:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Vinko Brešan Croatia, Serbia, 2008, 112 min, IP War veteran Martin happens to see the beautiful Desa in a porn version of Little Red Riding Hood. Through the Romany Djuro he makes the girl’s acquaintance and buys her from her pimp. The deeply traumatised girl can’t understand that this isn’t just another man who wants to take advantage of her. It later turns out that both protagonists have something in their past which comes back to haunt them, even now the war has ended... Experienced director Vinko Brešan has come up with a tragicomic story of love in a world where it seems all human values are put up for sale or destined for cynical destruction. Who’s seeing the film:
Ivo Andrle |
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Film screenings:
Wolfy | Volčok513 - 7.7., 14:00, Grand Hall 5E5 - 7.7., 22:00, Espace Dorleans Cinema Director: Vassily Sigarev Russia, 2009, 86 min, IP From the very start of the film it’s clear that, for Mother, the birth of Daughter is an unwelcome burden, and that’s how it’ll always be. Until, one day, when it’s too late, Mother realizes that she has not only ruined her own life, but her daughter’s as well. Despite his young age, Vassily Sigarev has written 18 stage plays, one of which, Plasticine, was performed in Prague’s DISK theatre five years ago. His film debut, based on his own play, demonstrates that Sigarev is well able to convey his own, distinctive style to the big screen just as effectively as he has done for the stage. Wolfy recently took the top award at the Kinotavr festival of Russian films in Sochi. Who’s seeing the film:
Jolka Krásná |
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