KVIFF 2022 – Back to OZ, and so on, and so forth
I click my heels and I’m back home. Not in Kansas, but in Karlovy Vary. What is it about this place that makes me feel at home? Is it the brutalist, ex-socialist atmosphere of the iconic Thermal Hotel, the center point of KVIFF, which reminds me of my part of Europe? Is it the town itself – small, picturesque, yet stylish and friendly? The atmosphere is always very welcoming in Karlovy Vary, to everyone, no matter if it’s the press, the industry, or the audience, black ties or trekkers bearing ski sticks and backpacks, freshly off their hikes. The more the spotlights and red carpets feature stars and the pressure of prestige – this year, the biggest international guests were Geoffrey Rush and Benicio del Toro –, the more you can’t feel any sort of segregation in the halls of the Thermal. There’s even a sort of solidarity in the air, especially when you end up queueing for dozens of minutes together with other people who still harbor the hope of catching a seat at a sold-out screening – as for me, I ended up feeling this solidarity thrice, especially when I unsuccessfully tried to catch Aftersun (r. Charlotte Wells), this apparently accidental popularity hit of the edition, and one of the films I would have liked most to see. This welcoming spirit also extends to the festival’s film selection, in the sense that there’s a little bit of something for anybody: some jewels from the history of cinema for the cinephiles, some midnight screenings for the horror film aficionados, and some irreverent films, debuts brimming with verve, some experimental things here and there; and amongst all of them, big-audience films also manage to sneak in.
Graduated with a BA in film directing and a MA in film studies from UNATC; she's also studied history of art. Also collaborates with the Acoperisul de Sticla film magazine and is a former coordinator of FILM MENU. She's dedicated herself to '60-'70s Japanese cinema and Irish post-punk music bands. Still keeps a picture of Leslie Cheung in her wallet.
