Bookworld 2004, Prague cinema showing Czech films with English subtitles every single day
In the Arts this week we visit the Bookworld 2004 trade fair, which this year focuses on literature from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. And we take you to Kino Svetozor, a cinema with an interesting history which is now showing Czech films with English subtitles every single day.
Bookworld 2004 highlights Irish, Scotland, Welsh literature
"The theme is literature as a source of inspiration. But we have also a guest of honour, and this year the guest of honour is represented by three countries, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, a region of shared history but also a dynamic cultural present."
Where did the idea come from to have these three countries as the 'special guest' this year?
"Well, actually it came from the organisation Literature Across Frontiers; this organisation supports the translation of minor languages and minor literatures abroad. They came with this idea because Ireland, Scotland and Wales are countries with their identity, language identity, historical identity.
"I think the Czech Republic will also have the problem of how to attract attention to itself in the European Union. So I think the debates and discussions that will be held here during the book fair will be also oriented to this topic."
Those three countries - Ireland, Scotland and Wales - have a Celtic past: do you see any connection between them and the Czech Republic, where the Celts were - I don't know - a thousand years ago?
Where we're standing now in the main hall at Prague's Vystaviste trade-fair centre, there are stands and stalls from many, many countries; in front of me I see Germany, beside me is Slovakia - how many countries are represented here?
"We have exhibitors from 26 countries, and for the first time, for example, Portugal is exhibiting their books. I'm very happy these countries are here because we are of course building some bridges, everyone is welcoming us to the European Union, so we are really happy about that."
What for you will be the highlights of the next three or four days?
"There are book-signings at stands, there are programmes, we have over six programme halls here at the book-fair, so the programme is really growing. So it's very hard to highlight exactly any programme."
Speaking of growing, I know this is the tenth anniversary of the first Prague Bookworld - how has the book-fair grown or changed over the years?
"And also we are organising Bookworld on stage - we would like to show that literature has also inspired theatre plays. So each year we are looking for some new way to attract readers to read books."
I can see Mrs Kalinova that you are extremely busy - how much do you enjoy the book-fair?
"Well, I enjoy it a lot, because I think it's really nice work to do. You meet good people, you work with books and literature, so it's enriching your personality. Of course it's a stressful kind of work, too, but if you are able to bear it, I think the feedback is really great."
If you would like to know more about Bookworld 2004 go to www.bookworld.cz
Prague cinema first to show Czech films with English subtitles every day
"I heard from many of my English-speaking friends that they would love to see all the new Czech films that come out, because talking to Czech people they know about them, but they don't have a chance to see them. So we decided that we would guarantee every day at least one Czech film with English subtitles at Kino Svetozor."
Do you know has any other cinema tried it before?
"I don't know for sure but I know that Kino Mat was doing something like that, usually in the summers. But I don't think that there would be a cinema venue that would offer every day one film with English subtitles.
"It's not easy also in terms of getting the films, and getting the English-subtitled print. This is something that needs to be planned in advance, and usually you need to know the producer or the distributor quite well in order to get the film. So in production terms, it's not very easy."
"We already spoke to some distributors of classic Czech films...it's also a question of the print being in existence or not, I mean an English-subtitled print. It would be hard to find subtitled prints of some old Czech films. But after we set up the DVD projection, my hopes will get bigger that we will show quite a few classics with English subtitles."
Do you think watching films from a certain country helps foreigners to get a better understanding of that culture?
"It depends on the film. But, of course, one of the basic advantages of cinema is that people get to know other cultures very easily and in a very comfortable way, you don't have to travel, you just watch it on the screen. So, yes, that would be one of the reasons I guess for the English-speaking community to come."
"It was built sometime in the 30s. It always worked as a cinema, most of its time - sometimes it became a theatre for a while, or a cabaret, but then it came back to cinema purposes.
"The most interesting history, I think, is at the end of the 60s when it was turned into something called 'kino automat', which was a Czech invention; you could watch films and at a certain scene the film would stop and people took a vote - each seat had a yes and no button - on which way they wanted the film to go ahead.
"And depending on the results of the vote the film went one or the other way, which was something spectacular. For about two years this existed here at Kino Svetozor."
For the programme and other information about the cinema, please go to www.kinosvetozor.cz
