The fifty-first annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is officially underway. Coming together for the opening ceremony, aside from Festival President Jiří Bartoška, Artistic Director Karel Och, traditional moderator Marek Eben and hockey player Jaromír Jágr, were a star-studded delegation for the movie Anthropoid, Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and prominent American actor Willem Dafoe. It was the latter who took the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema home from the ceremony.
"Thank you very much, I liked the video montage. I'm very glad to be here in Karlovy Vary. Film is important. It gives us so much and I'm very proud that my contribution has been appreciated," Dafoe said in thanks for the award.
The official opening film of the 51st KVIFF was the anticipated war drama Anthropoid. Its large delegation, led by director Sean Ellis and British actors Jamie Dornan and Toby Jones, not only introduced the world premiere at the gala ceremony in the Grand Hall, but also two further screenings for the public at Hotel Thermal.
"This film's journey began fifteen years ago. Since then I've been obsessed with the events of Operation Anthropoid. It is thus a great honour that I can present it for the first time in the Czech Republic, where the whole story started 74 years ago. I dedicate this film to the brave men and women of Czechoslovakia who lay down their lives for the truth. It is good to commemorate such events and look at them with hindsight," said director, cameraman and co-screenwriter Ellis.
