CZECH REPUBLIC: Hungarian, Romanian and Polish film represented at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Hungary, Romania and Poland are well represented at the 42nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, currently underway in the Czech Republic. Hungarian and Romanian collaboration "Dolina" is set in the small town of Bogdanski Dolina, somewhere in the Eastern Carpathian mountains. The town, once attacked by a horde of strange marauders, is now in decline. "Dolina," based on Adam Bodor's novel "The Archbishop's Visit", depicts the hard life and poor living conditions endured by the inhabitants and the breakdown of interpersonal relationships. The movie will not make easy viewing according to director Zoltan Kamondi. "This is a very difficult film to watch, to understand all parts of it," Kamondi told journalists at a news conference at the film festival. "Maybe it can be difficult to follow sometimes as well, because it has really many, many, many levels which is coming from Adam Bodor's, the author type of writing," he added. Also showing at the festival is Polish entry "Saviour's Square." The film tells the tale of a family heavily in debt. Bartek moves in with his mother after selling his own flat, but soon realises that he has become a victim of conmen. The different interests and needs of the central characters forced into co-existence create unpleasant conflicts, as love gives way to hatred, tolerance to intolerance. Director Krzystof Krauze told journalists that money was not his motivation for making the film. "We already made sure that we only tell the stories that amazed us," said Krauze. "You can tell the story for money or for glory, but this is not the real thing. The main thing is to trust that it is an important and true story," he added. For co-director Joanna Kos-Krauze, "Saviour's Square" presents a perspective not commonly seen in Polish cinema. "We had another reason to film this story," said Kos-Krauze. "In Polish cinema there are no women present in any way. Films about women are not done, it was hard to find the female lead. All the aspects of film are done by men - choosing the screenplays. There were no films in Poland before about female problems in our society." The Karlovy Vary Film Festival is showing 14 films in its main competition and is presenting over 220 feature films and up to 40 short films from all over the world. The festival continues at the Karlovy Vary spa until July 7.

ITN Source | July 12, 2007

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