British actor Roy Marsden to attend Karlovy Vary festival

Karlovy Vary, West Bohemia, July 1 (CTK) - British actor Roy Marsden, famous among Czech TV viewers in his role of Inspector Adam Dalgliesh in a TV crime series, will attend the 44th International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary that starts on Friday, its president Jiri Bartoska told reporters Wednesday.

He admitted that Marsden, 68, would actually arrive in Karlovy Vary by accident since the festival had officially invited his wife, British TV producer Hilary Bevan Jones.

"She asked whether her husband could accompany her," Bartoska said.

The organisers agreed and only then they found out that the husband was renowned actor Marsden.

"So we asked Mr Marsden whether he would not mind certain media cooperation during the festival, and he agreed willingly. His wife will introduce the music comedy The Boat That Rocked that will close the festival," Bartoska said.

The Karlovy Vary festival to be held on July 3-11 will this year welcome several world-famous stars, such as U.S. actor, director and producer John Malkovich 55, who will receive the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema at the festival, Spanish-born Hollywood star Antonio Banderas, 48, and French actress Isabelle Huppert, 54.

Huppert will also be given the award for a life contribution to world cinema, along with Jan Svankmajer, 74, Czech artist, film-maker and animator.

Another guest, who recently confirmed that she would arrive in Karlovy Vary, is Italian actress Laura Morante who appeared in the director's debut of Malkovich - political thriller The Dancer Upstairs (2001) that will be screened at the festival in the Tribute to John Malkovich section.

This year, 14 films have been selected for the main competition in Karlovy Vary. Out of more than 230 films that will be presented during the festival, 65 will have a world, international or European premiere.

This year's opening ceremony is to be attended by renowned film-makers, including French Patrice Chereau, U.S. Paul Schrader and Czech Oscar-winning director Milos Forman, living in the United States.

Forman's film A Well Paid Walk after the Czech opera buffa of the same name will have its world premiere at the festival. Forman, along with his sons, staged the opera in the National Theatre in Prague.

The Greatest, feature debut of U.S. director Shana Feste, will have an international premiere at the festival gala opening on July 3.