The first festival weekend is over and everything has settled into the usual festival routine. First guests have already walked the red carpet, first competition films have been screened, the usual fight for the tickets in front of the box offices and inside the theatres has begun, as has of course, the main competition for the Grand Prix – Crystal Globe award for the best feature film.
Jan Svěrák has launched a competition on its own at the screening of Kooky, when he tied the puppet toy Kooky to a bunch of balloons and set free to float over the audience during the film. The new lucky owner would be the one whose lap it would fall into during the film. Kooky really took his time and stayed up during the entire screening only to fall into hands of an eleven-year old Jakub, who was patient enough to wait for him long after the film had ended.
However, the film that I enjoyed the most so far was La Mosquitera (The Mosquito Net) by Agustí Vila, about a suburban family whose each member is disturbed and emotionally unstable, manifesting this in its own unique manner. This incredibly smart, visually perfect, provoking, insightful dark comedy featuring Geraldine Chaplin as a supportive actress was really an unforgettable experience, and not just because of the brave sexual scenes. Definitely a hot candidate for a Crystal Globe in several categories.
Another film I can recommend is Žena sa slomljenim nosem (A Woman With a Broken Nose), by Srdjan Koljević, competing in the East of the West section. This film portraying life of several lost souls in post-war Belgrade whose life connect because of one woman’s suicide attempt is a pleasant, clever mosaic full of hope for the region, symbolics, and love.
And what else’s been hot in the spa town apart from the weather this weekend? Thelma Schoonmaker was Saturday’s star as she talked passionately about her husband’s work, the restoration process of his films, and let us peek behind the closed doors of the editing room with Martin Scorsese. New screens appeared on the terrace and the bar of Hotel Thermal broadcasting football matches providing for a comfortable way how to satisfy both, the passion for film and sport. The unbearable heat has made the pace slower and mojito consumption soar, however, couldn’t stop the crowds at Poštovní dvůr enjoy their one-day festival, and rock the Captain Morgan tent until the early morning hours. Here I can’t help but thank the excellent job the cleaning services do every night to keep the “crime scene” in front of Thermal clean every day from cups, glasses, etc. Great job there.
There is much more to look forward to this week. The lens of cameras will focus on one of the most expected guests at the festival Jude Law today, who will walk the red carpet to receive the Festival President’s Award before midnight, and was all smiles when he arrived to Grandhotel Pupp last night.
With Juraj Herz and Nikita Mikhalkov arriving later this week, you can join Zdeněk Svěrák at the Mlýnská kolonáda on Tuesday for a 100 metre run and help raise money for those who cannot. You can also donate by buying a T-shirt or a nice cup at the Paraple stand in front of Thermal.
The festival has also thought of its smallest visitors this year. Aeroškola in Aeroport is having animated film workshops focused mainly (but not only) on children. As of Tuesday, film tricks and reportage tips will also be taught. Aeroport also turns into a dance club after dark in quite a unique space right on the Kolonáda promenade.
As for more film tips, there are several that I’m looking forward to, some of which I’ve mentioned before:
Official selection:
- Trois temps après la mort d’Anna (Mourning for Anna)
- Matka Teresa od kotów (Mother Teresa of Cats)
- Hitler à Hollywood (Hitler at Hollywood)
Official selection – Out of Competition:
- The Company Men
- Single Man
- L’ arnacoeur (Heartbreaker)
Open Eyes:
- Copie conforme (Certified Copy)
- O estranho caso de Angélica (Strange Case of Angelica)
- Des hommes et des dieux (Of Gods and Men)
- Un homme qui crie (A Screaming Man)
- Shi (Poetry)
Horizonts:
- Ondine
- The Illusionist
Variety Critics’ Choice:
- Friendship!
- Rewers (The Reverse)
- Snap
Also, for those of you who feel not just like watching the films but talking to the filmmakers as well, a Masterclass with Andrew and Kevin Macdonald, the creative grandsons of Emeric Pressburger, will take place on Tuesday, 6 July at 2pm at the Radio 1 Lounge of Hotel Thermal. For B-movie lovers and Ozploitation fans, the creative personality of Australia’s wave of pulp movies Brian Trenchard-Smith will be ready to answer your questions at the same time and place on Thursday, 8 July.
