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The Karlovy Vary international film festival is in full swing, with every film selling out and all attendance records being broken. Thousands of people are watching films by day and partying by night, in one of the most beautiful spa towns in the Czech Republic. But the festival wasn't always such a lively and popular event. Before becoming artistic director in 1994, Eva Zaoralova attended Karlovy Vary as a film critic for many years; Ian Willoughby asked her just what the festival was like twenty years ago.

The 37th Karlovy Vary Film Festival is underway in the renowned west Bohemian spa town. Close to 300 films are being shown in the space of 10 days. The festival traditionally focuses on creative filmmakers from around the world who want to make a difference –not a profit- and who often struggle for recognition. The films are also chosen with the aim of bridging the gap between the West and the countries of the former communist block. The festival's high point is the Crystal Globe award, a 20,000 dollar prize given to the festival's best premiere feature production.

The 37th International Karlovy Vary Film Festival has gotten underway in the Czech Republic drawing thousands of film lovers as well as actors and actresses both from the Czech scene and from around the world. Radio Prague's Ian Willoughby has been attending the festival and I was able to speak to him earlier today to get the latest impressions.

Despite traditional bad weather with heavy rain, there has been a party atmosphere over the weekend at the Karlovy Vary international film festival, with concerts and parties alongside a marathon of film screenings. As part of the section devoted to films from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, filmmakers from the region discussed the problems they currently face, in particular difficulties with raising money. Film critic Gergana Dakovska said that only four full-length feature films are made in her native Bulgaria each year. But the young Russian director, Sergej Potemkin was optimistic, saying that support for films in Russia, including film debuts, has increased. Over the weekend, visitors to the festival also had the chance to meet the most famous contemporary Korean director, Kim Ki-Duk, seven of whose films are being shown in Karlovy Vary. We'll be bringing you reports from the festival throughout the week.

The English actor Michael York has been one of the main stars so far at the Karlovy Vary international film festival, now in its third day. He is there for a retrospective to present his most famous film, "Cabaret" from 1972. On Friday, the successful young Czech director Petr Zelenka has also been in Karlovy Vary to talk about his latest film "Rok dabla" - the year of the devil - which is one of two Czech films in the competition section. During the weekend, festival visitors will also have the chance to meet directors and actors from several other films in the competition section, from as far afield as Mexico, Spain and Latvia. Radio Prague will be bringing you the latest festival news in our broadcasts and on our website throughout next week.

In this week's Central Europe Today, examines the latest developments in filmmaking - the changes made in the past ten years, problems currently faced by directors, and the new trends in film.