Karlovy Vary Artistic Director Readies for Czech Reckoning With #MeToo

Things are changing in the Czech Republic, says Karlovy Vary Film Festival artistic director Karel Och. Also when it comes to the #MeToo movement.  

“What we need is a conversation – and films like ‘Broken Voices,’” he says.

Ondřej Provazní’s drama, selected for the Crystal Globe Competition, was inspired by the Bambini di Praga case: a famous children’s choir which saw its choirmaster arrested and charged with sexual abuse of minors that went on for years.

“It’s a strong, intimate piece of cinema which ultimately succeeds in communicating strong political ideas. When I had lunch with the director and the producer, I realized that maybe our last year’s Audience Award winner ‘Waves’ – which reached almost 1 million spectators in Czech cinemas – opened up a new chapter in our cinema. The audience is now perceiving a film through its subject matter as well. There’s already a conversation about what ‘Broken Voices’ represents and what it stands for. It’s approaching the subject matter in a very universal way, but in the Czech Republic, things are also changing a lot.”

In the past, the fest faced criticism due to some of its controversial guests, including Johnny Depp, or even its Crystal Globe statuette, which once led Mel Gibson to say: “It’s just the kind of thing I want. A naked woman holding a ball.”

“I like that film festivals are places where you can say things freely. We don’t like to censor. Sometimes we know that the person who’s coming is controversial, and we expect certain reactions, but a festival should be a platform for this kind of exchange,” stresses Och. 

“Czechs need time to discover certain things. We don’t like to be forced, especially by the West. When we were sent the Collectif 50/50 initiative [advocating for gender parity], it seemed silly to just sign a piece of paper without talking about it. A few years ago, I dared to make a joke while introducing a German film made by a young female filmmaker. I said I was happy to be standing with her on the stage where, until recently, the female representation was often reduced to the statue of the festival’s award. Nobody got it, so I thought: ‘Maybe we need more time.’” 

He adds: “Coming from our country with such a crazy political experience of oppression, certain things must change in a more natural way. I think ‘Broken Voices’ can be instrumental in this.”

It’s not the only potentially controversial film this year – the fest decided to wait with the announcement of Iranian “Bidad” to protect its creators.

“Because of its subject matter, everybody expected there might be problems – also for the team to leave the country to come for the world premiere. We agreed on being sensitive about it.”

In the end, director Soheil Beiraghi will present the film on his own, determined to “stand by his work,” he told Variety.  

“In Czech Republic, we remember the bad days – we remember how things were handled back in the 1980s [during communism]. In some cases, you just really need to be very careful. We needed to make sure they were safe,” adds Och.  

“When the screening comes closer, you have to apply all the security measures. This film is coming from Iran and there are all these threats and risks involved, but you also want to make sure it’s perceived as a work of art. Anything like that is inevitably a political act, but it’s still a film we fell in love with.”

The festival will “promote political cinema through intimate stories,” he notes, mentioning Nadav Lapid’s “Yes” and Palestinian “All That’s Left of You.”

“This is what we know how to do. ‘All That’s Left of You’ is a film that’s potentially controversial, but maybe not really? [Director Cherien Dabis] is not accusing anyone – she’s just offering compassion. Political cinema doesn’t have to divide people or force them to take sides, which I think is impossible in the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is so complex and so complicated. But if through the pain you feel while watching, you can have conversations, we did our job well.” 

The Czech event still “wants to be kind,” however, finding space for more uplifting films like Josh O’Connor starrer “Rebuilding.” 

“[Director] Max Walker-Silverman once said he would never have an unkind person in his movie. You can have a powerful film dealing with problems in an authentic way – without any assholes,” says Och.  

“We do have extreme films in the program but sometimes, subtlety and kindness can be more impactful. I don’t want to go on about ‘the decline of civilization,’ but empathy is something that’s missing right now.”

Something else that’s missing this year? The presence of longtime festival president Jiří Bartoška, who died in May. 

“Czech journalists keep asking us: ‘What will change?!’ We spent the last couple of months explaining, willingly and happily, that not much will. Mr. Bartoška has been dealing with his illness in these past few years and left us all this freedom. You want to celebrate the memory and the contribution of someone without whom you wouldn’t be sitting here, but at the same time you have to calm people down, assuring that things are in good hands.” 

He notes: “We will celebrate him not in a tearful, but in an uplifting way, celebrating all the traces he left behind. He would be really pissed off if we made it too sentimental.” 

While the fest will welcome Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard and Stellan Skarsgård, Bartoška had his hand at another guest’s very first visit: Michael Douglas, now coming back to present an anniversary screening of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” which he produced.

“In 1998, we were looking for guests and Jiří Bartoška had a conversation with Miloš Forman. Back in those days, we relied on the help of our friends. Miloš was like: ‘Well, how about Michael? Let me call him.’ That first time Michael Douglas came here for Miloš, and now he’s doing it again – even though he did not go to Cannes for the world premiere of the restoration.”

“It’s very humbling to see these people, who represent such a big chunk of the history of cinema, come and celebrate someone else.”