Czech film "Angel Exit" competing for grand prize at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Karlovy Vary's famed film festival

And it is time now for our daily update from the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Radio Prague's Ita Dungan spoke to Dita Asiedu earlier in the day and asked her how life was going in the Western Bohemian town.

Karlovy Vary's famed film festival
Dita Asiedu: Yesterday was rather quiet, although the highlight of the day was a press conference with Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone - two very, very fine actors who have been in the field for years and who both gave stunning performances in "Sexy Beast". What doesn't cease to amaze me is the vast differences you see in the quality of actors here at the festival - there are those like Kingsley and Winston, of course, who put there heart and soul in to the movie, they understand what they are doing and what message they are giving out.

Ita Dungan: Can you give us any information, Dita, on any of the films that are up for the awards?

DA: One of the more popular ones, although I myself can't understand why - is "Andel Exit" - a Czech production about a drug addict who lives in Prague, close to the Andel Metro stop. He is trying to get off drugs but two of his friends don't give him the chance and he ends up not only taking drugs but also producing them. Now, the younger generation seems to like it more than the older generation, who find it very hectic and with no message what so ever. Of course then, there is the Polish movie "Hi Terezka" which is about the life a very confused girl who lives with her parents and sister in an apartment block. She ends up basically mixing with the wrong crowd. It is shot in black and white, which really helped to draw the audience into Terezka's world. I spoke to the director Robert Glinski, who told me that it is actually quite difficult to make such powerful, more serious movies in Poland because no one wants to finance a movie that isn't entertaining.

ID: That is usually what film festivals are, the more alternative smaller productions, and that is exactly why they have such a popular following.

DA: Exactly.

ID: Have you any recommendations on the viewings you saw yesterday, Dita?

Dita Asiedu: I saw an Indian film, which is directed by Subrata.Sen. The name of the film is "The Girl". It is a thriller and I must say that it was one of the very few movies that I have seen at night, which didn't put me to sleep!!

Ita Dungan: So you actually enjoyed that one then, Dita.

DA: Yes, yes I definitely enjoyed it, but not only because of the story line but also because it tells you a lot about what life in India is like.

ID: And finally Dita, have you any plans for today, this afternoon and this evening.DA: Yes, this evening I am actually going to go swimming but I am also going to be working of course. I am going to see another Czech film called "Otesanek" which is actually based on fairytale about a little boy who ends up eating his parents and everybody around him. Crazy, I know!!

ID: Enjoy the film and hope you will be able to sleep this evening and come back with more reports tomorrow.

Authors: Dita Asiedu , Ita Dungan
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