Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The 50^th Karlovy Vary IFF will take place between July 3 and 11, 2015. The jubilee anniversary of the festival will be a celebration of cinematography open to the general public.

The festival tradition stretches all the way back to 1946 when the first, non-competitive showcase of films was held in Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně. The festival’s modern history began with the arrival of a team of organisers centred around Karlovy Vary IFF president Jiří Bartoška and artistic director Eva Zaoralová. More than two decades of successful development have shown that the intention of the state at the time to cancel the Karlovy Vary festival would have been short sighted. The festival earned itself a place among the elite international film festivals of the highest category, and most importantly it found a niche of its own. The festival is famous for its inimitable atmosphere, its openness to film lovers and its relaxed environment in which film stars and regular viewers can meet in one room.

It is for these reasons that the opening of the 50^th Karlovy Vary IFF has been conceived as a celebration of film and of the film fans who have been coming to the festival for the last 22 years and who have made it exceptional.

The ceremonial commencement of the Karlovy Vary IFF on July 3, 2015, will have a special programme. Following the opening ceremony and the screening of the opening film there will be a big festival party in the area around the Thermal Hotel and in the city streets. Every visitor, guest and viewer can attend the celebration. The “film night” events are organised in cooperation with the partners of the KVIFF.

A simple symbol – a paper bowtie or red make-up – will make everyone who wants to take part in the celebrations a VIP guest. Because in Karlovy Vary everyone can be a star!

Lucie concert

Following the opening film all visitors are invited to a special mega-concert in front of the Thermal Hotel at which the legendary Czech rock band LUCIE will hold an entirely unique performance as a gift for the jubilee. The concert is organised in cooperation with the general partner, ČEZ Group, as a variation on the traditional Energy Fest. This commencement programme will also include an audio-visual show by the well-known performer Vladimír 518.

Film Spa at Mlýnská kolonáda

In cooperation with the main partner of the KVIFF, the company RWE, and the main media partner, Czech Television, a feature length documentary film called Film Spa has been made by director Miroslav Janek to map the previous years of the Karlovy Vary festival.

The public will be able to see the documentary on July 3 at a special night-time, open-air screening at Mlýnská kolonáda.

The Karlovy Vary Festival Endowment Fund

The festival has established The Karlovy Vary Festival Endowment Fund, the goal of which is to support master's degree students in the directing programme at FAMU and help implement their projects. The festival will provide a scholarship for selected FAMU students who already have an approved plan for their graduation film.

MEL GIBSON TO FILM NEW KVIFF TRAILER

The international film festival continues in its tradition of trailers starring the laureates of its highest award – The Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema.

Last year’s recipient of this award, actor, director and producer Mel Gibson has agreed to film the trailer for the 50^th anniversary. The trailer will be shot in Los Angeles in early May and will be written and directed by Martin Krejčí, who has collaborated with Ivan Zachariáš since the beginning of the festival trailers project. Martin Krejčí directed the trailers featuring Jiří Menzel and Helen Mirren.