15.06.2010
European films as crowd-pullers
EFP presents "Variety Critics' Choice: Europe Now!" at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
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It’s a pure unadulterated cinema experience, collective amazement, laughter and attentiveness when the films of the Variety Critics' Choice: Europe Now! are shown at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), 4th and 5th of July. Ten young European directors present their films to an enthusiastic audience on the invitation of European Film Promotion (EFP) and KVIFF in sold out performances at one of the festival’s most popular sidebars. The selection is made by critics from the international trade magazine Variety. The MEDIA Programme of the EU and the ten participating EFP member organisations are supporting the event. This year again sees Cinemax of HBO in the Czech Republic serving as a main sponsor.
“I’m really excited about this year’s lineup,” says Alissa Simon, Variety liaison for the Variety Critics’ Choice sidebar at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. “It includes a number of multiple prize winners from the international film festival circuit. Apart from an inclination to favour first and second features, we concentrate on European films with freshness, invention and a sense of discovery. Nevertheless, a strong element of humour is present in eight of the 10 titles, although only two are out-and-out comedies.”
EFP is keen to see how the successful romantic comedy Will You Marry Us? by the young Swiss director Micha Lewinsky is received by the audience. The same goes for The Hedgehog. The debut film by the French filmmaker Mona Achache stood out at the festivals in Cairo and Valladolid and was a big success in the cinemas back home. It is a moving parable about how important unconventionality is. The East European titles show another, darker humour, such as in Reverse, a debut work by the Polish director Borys Lankosz. Meanwhile, in Medal of Honor, caustic humour and irony determine the prize-winning story by the Romanian director Calin Netzer.
The members of European Film Promotion (EFP) are supporting the programme of Critics’ Choice for the 13th year running. In close cooperation with KVIFF and Variety, EFP introduces the ten directors to the audience, industry and press over two days during the festival.
The festival in Karlovy Vary is still regarded as one of the most influential and renowned film events in Central and Eastern Europe. It is a magnet for young cineastes from the Czech Republic and the neighbouring countries, who travel to Karlovy Vary each year in anticipation of exciting cinema experiences.
The following films will be presented by their directors in person at “Europe Now!”
(click the filmtitel to obtain the Variety reviews)
Bruce Webb |
United Kingdom |
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Markus Goller |
Germany |
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Edmon Roch |
Spain |
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Mona Achache |
France |
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Calin Netzer |
Romania/Germany |
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Håkon Liu |
Sweden/Taiwan |
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Robert Sedláček |
Czech Republic |
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Borys Lankosz |
Poland |
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Carmel Winters |
Ireland |
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Micha Lewinsky |
Switzerland |
>> further information about the project
>> Interviews with the directors have been conducted in cooperation with Cineuropa and are available at www.cineuropa.org
Participating EFP member organisations
British Council, Czech Film Center, ICAA/Spain, Irish Film Board, German Films, Polish Film Institute, Romanian Film Promotion, Swedish Film Institute, Swiss Films, Unifrance.
Contact EFP
Jo Mühlberger, Project Director, e-mail: muehlberger@efp-online.com, Tel.: +49 40- 390 6252
Mareen Gerisch, Head of Press, e-mail: gerisch@efp-online.com, Tel.: +49 40- 390 6252
Press contact in Karlovy Vary
Radovan Holub, e-mail: holub@investtel.cz, Mobile: +420 723- 667 835
EFP is supported by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union and by its member organisations. In addition, promotion and PR activities are backed by the
Centre National de la Cinématographie et de l'Image animée (CNCIA) while Variety Critics' Choice: Europe Now! also has backing from Variety and the Czech partners: Cinemax/HBO, Panavision and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The Hamburg-based office is financially supported by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the Department for Culture, Sports and Media of the City of Hamburg.
| with the support of the EU MEDIA programme  |
EFP is supported by
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