Karlovy Vary Film Festival Kicks Off With Michael Caine, ‘Zatopek’ and COVID Testing

A film festival is about more than just the films and the festival center. It is about the location, the journey, the experience. Here on Deadline, we’ll be bringing you updates on what it’s like to be on the ground at the Venice Film Festival, which continues on schedule for a second year in a row despite the pandemic disrupting other events.

Naman Ramachandran The 65th British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival has revealed the eight films in its official competition.The competition titles include a few films currently playing at the Venice Film Festival, including Michelangelo Frammartino’s “Il Buco” (Italy-Germany-France), Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Hand of God” (Italy) Harry Wootliff’s “True Things” (U.K.) and Michel Franco’s “Sundown” (Mexico-France-Sweden).

The BFI London Film Festival has confirmed an eight-strong lineup for its Official Competition this year. The movies are:

Matt Dillon is looking great in Venice!

Johnny Depp and Ethan Hawke got a very warm welcome at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival!

Will Tizard ContributorMigration drama “As Far as I Can Walk,” directed by Stefan Arsenijevic, won the top prize at the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on Saturday, commended by the critics for its nuanced portrayal of the realities of refugees’ lives.The joint Serbia/France/Luxembourg/Bulgaria/Lithuania production, starring Ibrahim Koma and Nancy Mensah-Offei and inspired by a Serbian medieval epic poem, also won the $25,000 Crystal Globe prize, best actor award for Koma, special

Special Jury Mentions went to “The Staffroom,” actress Vinette Robinson for “The Boiling Point” and cinematographer Jelena Stankovic for “As Far as I Can Walk.”In the East of the West competition, a separate slate of films from Eastern Europe, the winner was “Nuuccha,” with a special jury prize to “Sisterhood” and a special mention to the documentary “Intensive Life Unit.”The jury that chose the main awards consisted of Argentinian producer Benjamin Domenech, Danish filmmaker Eva Mulvad, Polish

Will Tizard ContributorDespite an apparent last-minute sense of concern by Karlovy Vary fest organizers over international press coverage of Johnny Depp and his ongoing legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard over domestic abuse allegations, the rocker/actor/producer made his appearances without much fuss and introduced the docu he co-produced, “Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan” to welcoming crowds on Friday.Depp’s other project at the Czech fest, the Japan-set thriller “Minamata,”

Angelique Jackson Jeff Friday Media (JFM) has unveiled the lineup of official films in competition for its milestone 25th American Black Film Festival (ABFF).Among the narrative feature selections is the world premiere of Jussie Smollett’s directorial debut “B-Boy Blues,” an adaptation of James Earl Hardy’s 1994 novel, where class and culture clash when a college-educated journalist from Brooklyn and a homeboy bike messenger from Harlem fall in love.Actor and filmmaker Michael Jai White’s

Guy Lodge Film CriticFor any older men feeling left behind by a world of youth, social media and anti-patriarchal sentiment, “Best Sellers” offers a comforting message: You may yet be a younger person’s savior, provided they come to save you first.Harris Shaw, the ornery, outdated writer at the center of Lina Roessler’s gentle literary comedy, has been creatively blocked for 50 years since producing one vastly acclaimed novel.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorHonored this year at the Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival for his incredible volume of work over six decades, Michael Caine is remarkably down-to-earth as he reflects on lessons learned and how his plans to retire more than 20 years ago just never quite worked out.

Sir Michael Caine has admitted he spent eight years trying not to blink to perfect his acting technique.The legendary actor, 88, explained that a book titled Teach Yourself Film Acting featured the tip to “never blink” – leading him to spend eight years trying not to close his eyelids.Speaking to The Mirror, Caine said: “One thing that stuck in my mind was, ‘Don’t blink. You must never blink’.“For the next eight years, I walked around trying not to blink.

Will Tizard ContributorThe 55th edition of the Karlovy Vary Intl.

KARLOVY VARY, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Stars returned to the Czech town of Karlovy Vary for its annual film festival for the first time in over two years on Friday, as central and eastern Europe's leading film industry event got back into action after a COVID hiatus. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival opened with two-time Oscar winner Michael Caine walking the red carpet.

Alissa Simon Film CriticAfter winning Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s Crystal Globe for best director in 2018 for “Winter Flies,” the Slovenian-born Czech director Olmo Omerzu returns to its competition with the world premiere of his fourth feature “Bird Atlas.” It is co-written with his “Winter Flies” collaborator Petr Pýcha.

coronavirus pandemic.The 55th edition of the festival will honor Oscar-winning British actor Michael Caine for his outstanding contribution to world cinema at its start on Friday night.Caine won two Academy Awards for best supporting roles in “Hannah and Her Sisters” in 1987 and “The Cider House Rules” in 2000.He will also present “Best Sellers” (2021), a comedy in which he stars, at the festival.Organizers will also honor U.S.

The book industry, much like the film/TV industry, has undergone a fairly drastic change over the last decade or so. It’s no longer okay to just write a good book.