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The 42nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is well into its second half with the main awards to be handed out on Saturday night at a special gala event in Hotel Thermal. In the course of the week film fans will be able to see some 250 feature films and documentaries. The main Czech film in competition this year is called Vratne Lahve, or Empties by the well known father and son team Zdenek and Jan Sverak who won an Oscar for their film Kolya. Nine countries have already bought the film rights and Empties will be shown in Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Denmark and Australia among others.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will reach a conclusion on Saturday night, with the presentation of the festival's Crystal Globe awards at the grand finale at the town's Thermal hotel. So, what films in competition at the 42nd Karlovy Vary look like the most likely contenders to take the prizes this year? Ian Willoughby has been there all week, and has the answer...

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is in full swing in the west Bohemian town. By the time it ends on Saturday evening, thousands of mostly young viewers will have seen over 250 films. They will also have had the rare chance to see or even meet some of the makers of those pictures, with many actors and directors attending the screenings of their films, in some cases holding discussions with the audience.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is one of the biggest cultural and social events in the Czech Republic. The 42nd Karlovy Vary got underway in the pretty spa town on Friday evening, with the Oscar-winning Hollywood star Renee Zellweger perhaps the biggest name ascending the red carpet at the Thermal hotel for the official opening. Ian Willoughby was at the glitzy ceremony. Radio Prague's Rosie Johnston spoke to him over the phone and begun by asking about the gala opening ceremony.

Roughly 800 film professionals have so far been accredited for the 42. Karlovy Vary International Film Festival which got underway in the Czech spa town on Friday. Visitors include everyone from script editors to directors and producers. The information was released by Andrea Szczukova on Sunday - speaking for Film Industry - in charge of setting up contacts and other details during professionals' stay. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is the most prestigious film event in the Czech calendar. Special guests this year include Hollywood actress Renee Zellweger; legendary actor/producer Danny DeVito is also slated to attend. The festival lasts until July 7th.

The 42nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has gotten underway in the famous spa town of Karlovy Vary in western Bohemia. The opening ceremonies were held at the grand hall of the Hotel Thermal on Friday. The venue was packed with high-profile attendees including the Czech President and his wife. Among those kicking off the festival was Hollywood actress Renee Zellweger, known for her roles in Chicago, Bridget Jones' Diary, Cold Mountain and Love and a .45.

The American actor and director Danny DeVito is set to appear at this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The star of such movies as Twins and LA Confidential, Mr DeVito will receive an award for outstanding contribution to world cinema at the festival's closing ceremony. This year's Karlovy Vary festival features over 220 pictures. It begins this coming Friday night.

This week in Mailbox: A Foreign Ministry award for the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center, looking for a song title, Renee Zellweger at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, a Radio Prague story about male synchronised swimmers. Listeners quoted: Mary Lou Krenek, Tomas Tousek, Mike Talbot, Christine Conlow.

It's just two and a half weeks now until the 42nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, one of the biggest events on the Czech cultural calendar. This year's most famous guest will be Rene Zellweger, star of Bridget Jones's Diary, though organisers also revealed a number of other interesting names at the last news conference before the glamorous festival begins. Programme director Julietta Zacharova outlined some of the likely highlights of this year's KVIFF.

It's over two months until the start of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, during which the pretty west Bohemian town is transformed for a week and a half, becoming the most exciting and glamorous place in the Czech Republic. But the countdown to this year's 42nd Karlovy Vary has already begun, with organisers presenting key elements of the programme to the media on Tuesday morning. At the launch, artistic director Eva Zaoralova told me a little about this year's special sections.