As this year's Prague International Film Festival gets underway, Nick Thomas speaks to programme director John Riley about this year's eclectic selection of international cinema

This year's Prague International Film Festival, building on the successes of last year's inaugural event, kicks off tonight, with another eclectic selection of films from Europe and beyond, once again chosen by programme director John Riley.

A native of Chicago before going to study in Los Angeles, Riley was lured to the Prague festival by his friend Pavlina Solo. He is now very much a 'PraÏak', keen to make the festival one of the key events in his adopted city's calendar.

Prague's geographical position at the centre of the new Europe means that it is rapidly establishing itself as the festival at which the West meets the best of central and eastern European cinema.

"We want to build up the profile of this part of the world," says Riley.

The cinema of Poland, for example, forms a strong element of this year's festival, which opens with Holy Week, the latest film from the great Andrzej Wajda. Alongside a programme of post-WW2 Polish films, a 10-film retrospective of Wajda's work will precede his arrival in town to accept a lifetime achievement award.

Another major figure in European cinema, Max von Sydow, chairs the International jury for this year's competition, which comprises 14 films from as many countries.

Among other guests of the festival will be British director Peter Greenaway, whose singular contribution to cinema is celebrated in the auteur-oriented Maverick section.

Fellow Brit John Schlesinger, will also be here to attend screenings of several films from his own distinguished oeuvre.

American cinema's flourishing independent sector is well represented at Prague with a season of films that includes several European premieres, while powerhouse American actor Harvey Keitel will also be in town for a three-film tribute to his talents.

The quirky recent films from Iceland receive an overview in the Rack Focus sidebar, which will also feature a panel discussion with Icelandic cinema's leading figures, including Cold Fever director Fridrik Tor Fridriksson.

Riley's commitment to making the festival truly international is also reflected in the Panorama section, which includes the best recent films, not just from the US and western Europe, but also from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Romania and Slovenia.

As with last year, the documentary genre is also represented. New this year, however, is a short season of films for young people, including an animated version of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach, screened to coincide with the Czech school holidays.

Nick Thomas

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