International film festival opens in Czech Republic, honors Isabelle Huppert

Czech film fest opens with Milos Forman premiere

PRAGUE, — The 44th International Film Festival opened Friday in the Czech Republic with a week of events planned, including an award for French actress Isabelle Huppert and a world premiere by Milos Forman.

The festival in the spa resort of Karlovy Vary features 220 movies this year, including Czech-born Forman’s “A Walk Worthwhile,” which the Oscar-winning director adapted from a 2007 staging of a 1960s Czech musical. The film will show Saturday.

On Sunday, Huppert is to receive the Crystal Globe award for her outstanding contribution to world cinema. American screen legend Robert de Niro received the prize last year.

Huppert is known for her 1977 hit “The Lacemaker” and several movies under Claude Chabrol.

Her latest film, “Villa Amalia,” is among the 14 films taking part in the festival’s main competition, which also includes a U.S. entry “Cold Souls” a debut by Sophie Barthes which premiered at this year’s Sundance festival.

Also expected to attend the festival were actors Antonio Banderas and John Malkovich. The festival features a retrospective of Malkovich’s career.