Czech actor-turned-Hollywood star Karel Roden turns up in Karlovy Vary
Radio Prague's Dita Asiedu is in the Western Bohemian city of Karlovy Vary, and spoke with Ita Dungan about the latest from the 36th annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Dita Asiedu: I am fine but I have got to tell you that it is a nightmare being a journalist at the festival.
Ita Dungan: Well you do sound a lot more sprightly than when I called you earlier this morning.
Dita Asiedu: I can tell you why I sounded like that this morning. What happens here is you have a Press screening in the morning and you don't really have so much time to go and see it because there are lots of other things to do. Then there are Press Conferences in the afternoon, where one has to run around and sweet talk agents for 40 minutes so that you can get an interview for two minutes! By the time that's over it is about 5 o'clock. You get an hour to relax and then, if you still have the energy, you can make a movie or two.
ID: So, who did you get to speak to - who did you sweet-talk?
DA: I spoke to the up-and-coming actor Norman Reedus who stared in the movie "The BeatNicks". It is about two rather lazy, good-for-nothing men - a poet and a musician, both of whom are called Nick. They find a magical box and it completely changes their lives. Anyway Norman Reedus was in Prague filming "Blade 2" along with Wesley Snipes.
ID: Did you ask him what it was like filming here in the Czech Republic?
DA: Yes, he said he loved it because in Hollywood there are lots of crew members who want to be actors or directors and therefore bother him with their screenplays or want to meet his agent but here in the Czech Republic it is totally different, he says, as everybody is relaxed and just wants to hang out and have a beer.
ID: Did you get to speak to anyone else, Dita?
DA: I spoke to Karl Roden, a respected Czech actor, who was cast alongside Robert De Niro in John Herzfeld's action-packed film, "15 Minutes". Mr Roden told me it all happened very fast. He was asked to read a couple of pages and before he knew it he was flown to the States for a month. The director, John Herzfeld, told me that Karl was a very gifted actor and played his role brilliantly.
ID: After all that work - did you get to see any movies?
DA: Yes, I saw two movies. The first was a German movie called "The Birthday" which was about four friends who drift apart for many years but who all meet up for their 30th birthdays. I really enjoyed it I must say. I spoke to a couple of other reporters who saw it but got mixed reactions, I guess, maybe because the film is very fast moving and it was in German with English subtitles. The second one was "Sexy Beast" starring Ben Kingsley who was as outstanding as always and also Ray Winstone. It is a gangster movie, which was directed by the rather young Johnathan Glazer who, became respected for shooting commercials and music videos. Yes, he must be in his early 30s and quite good-looking so I had to speak to him!! But I have got to tell you that when we spoke to each other yesterday I told you that we had great weather but that is not the case now, I think it is going to start to rain.
ID: Well, it is raining here in Prague Dita, so don't worry, it is probably on its way over there but you can't have all the fun!
DA: I guess not.
ID: So, we will get back to you tomorrow - so keep busy and try to get some sleep and don't get too square-eyed from watching too many movies.
