10/07/2006

A post festival’s review is usually consumed on the quality of the films presented, but Jiri Bartoska broke tradition this year and, instead, paid more attention to the technical standards of his festival; or, rather, the lack therefore.

The president of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival and his organizing committee were fuming that, yet again, they had to listen to complaints about the condition of the festival’s screens.

The main ones at the Thermal are still in desperate need of a revamp, as are the rest of the theatres around town where festivals films are presented. Most of them, argue the organizers, are in the same state as they were a dozen or more years ago, including the Cas theatre, which went through a tug-of-war because of the rent contract and its aging seats were never replaced in time for the festival.

"Everybody [who is involved] has to realize that the festival is here to stay, it is successful, and that the time has come for us to deliver our quality films [to the public] with adequate technical standards" says Bartoska, who is worried that the festival’s sponsors might shy away in the future if they fail to resolve the issue.

The responsibilities for upgrading the theatres’ standards lie partly with the Karlovy Vary City Hall. Deputy Mayor Monika Makkiehova admitted to the Czech Press Agency that Bartoska’s criticism has "some truth in it". She pledged on behalf of the City Hall to have all "theatre related problems solved" before the 42nd edition of the festival next year.