50th Karlovy Vary IFF

The festival enters the blessed age when it makes very good sense to spend nine days at the spa and the design somewhere between the porcelain sipper and a metal badge on a walking stick reflects that. However, the slightly absurd typographical reminiscence of imaginary old times is balanced by the people who make up the present festival, from the winners of the festival awards to their drivers. During the last four years Václav Jirásek shot in his mobile studio around a thousand of them. Just one of the main posters contains 431 portraits and even during the anniversary he added more, for all to be shown on tens of screens around the festival hotel Thermal. And even if the 50^th identity ended the three black & white, “minimal” years, the not-so-surprising buddy of the last year’s pig became the “deer” of Carlsbad. Happy Anniversary, Vary!