Karlovy Vary film festival to present 15-hour long film

Karlovy Vary, West Bohemia, June 27 (CTK) - The 47th Karlovy Vary international film festival that starts on Friday will present many unique films such as The Story of Film: An Odyssey, which lasts 15 hours and will be the longest ever film presented at the festival, the event's art director Karel Och said yesterday.

The documentary by British film maker Mark Cousinc highlights the history of cinematography. To see the whole of it, viewers have to come five times to cinema, Och told CTK.

Besides, the festival will offer all films awarded at the renowned world festivals of Berlin, Cannes and Venice.

Another festival section will offer less known films by Italian Michelangelo Antonioni.

The festival's opening film is Good Vibrations, a British film by Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn. The story of Belfast punk scene founder Terri Holoeyi will have its international premiere in Karlovy Vary.

The festival will close on July 7 with Woody Allen's film To Rome with Love.

Festival director Jiri Bartoska told the media yesterday that the two most prominent film stars to appear at the festival this year, Helen Mirren and Susan Sarandon, have confirmed their visit at the beginning and at the close of the event, respectively.

The two actresses will be presented with the Crystal Globe award for their extraordinary contribution to world cinematography.

Och said other significant film makers will be present as well. He mentioned Todd Solondz, a distinguished representative of U.S. independent film, and Italian film director Dario Argento.

The organisers selected some 200 long feature films and 30 documentaries out of 2500 for presentation at the Karlovy Vary festival. Several films will have their international or European premiere. About one third of the films presented will be their authors' debuts.