Mutual Inspirations Festival

The Mutual Inspirations Festival 2012-Miloš Forman celebrates Oscar-winning, Czech director Miloš Forman’s 80th birthday, the best of Czech cinematography, and the accomplishments of the transatlantic film industry. The festival runs September-October 2012, and features over 30 films and events in prestigious venues throughout the Washington area, including the National Gallery of Art, AFI Silver Theater, Library of Congress, Avalon Theater, Katzen Arts Center at American University, among others. In addition, the festival incorporates concerts, lectures, exhibitions, and theatrical performances related to film, photography, and/or the multimedia realm. A special component of the festival is the US-wide retrospective: A Tribute to Miloš Forman.

 Preview events leading up to the festival include:

• Forman’s 80th Birthday Celebration at the Czech Center in New York
• Cultural/political conference entitled Freedom of Expression, a Dedication to Miloš Forman, running from February-May 2012.
• EU Open House – Launch of the festival program on the website www.mutualinspirations.org on May 12, 2012.      

The festival is an annual initiative spearheaded by the Embassy of the Czech Republic, under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister and Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg, focusing on the mutual inspirations between Czech and American cultures and featuring an extraordinary personality. Last year, the festival highlighted Czech composer Antonín Dvořák and welcomed over 10,000 people at events featuring over 500 local and international artists throughout the nation’s capital.     

Freedom of Expression in the Contemporary World
The project Freedom of Expression in the Contemporary World is dedicated to lifelong friends and symbols of the fight for democracy and freedom: the renowned Czech film director Miloš Forman and former Czech and Czechoslovak President Václav Havel. Running from February-May 2012, the project incorporates documentary screenings, panel discussions, exhibitions, and lectures focusing on freedom of expression particularly in Burma, Belarus, and Cuba.

 US-Wide Forman Retrospective: A Tribute to Miloš Forman    
A Tribute to Miloš Forman is a US-wide project where the Czech Honorary Consular Corps in the United States, the Czech Center in New York, and Czech Foreign Service Posts will screen a film by award-winning director Miloš Forman and host an evening exploring a particular theme in the film that has impacted society. The goal of the project is to present a retrospective of Forman’s films throughout the United States. Through Q&A sessions, lectures with leading experts, and discussions with the community, the project is to highlights the vibrant films of renowned Czech-American director Miloš Forman, pays tribute to his transatlantic success, and explores themes in Forman’s films that continue to play out in today’s society: including questions of personal freedom, social conformity, and the oppression of the individual, among others.

 CZECH REPUBLIC and the FILM INDUSTRY    
In addition to bringing talented Czech filmmakers to the forefront, the festival also spotlights the Czech film industry. The Czech Republic has a rich heritage of filmmaking and has collaborated with the U.S. on numerous films and commercials. Economic incentives for filming in the Czech Republic include lower costs, stunning locations, and professional production teams.     

Barrandov Studios, one of the largest and oldest film studios in Europe, has been the location of choice for over 2,500 Czech and international productions, including such films as Mission Impossible, The Bourne Identity, and Casino Royale. Brothers Miloš and Václav Havel (the father of the Czech President with the same name) founded the studios in 1931 and completed them in 1933, based on designs by Max Urban. Studio cofounder Václav Havel had been touring universities in the United States, specifically the University of California, Berkley—when the idea of Barrandov came to mind. “America was my inspiration,” said Václav Havel. By 2006, Barrandov Studios had extended its services, opening Max—a massive new sound stage aimed at attracting larger productions.    

Enjoy the fall season packed with events accentuating director Miloš Forman and the mutual inspirations that ensue between the United States and the Czech Republic through the cinematic realm. Be sure to stay posted on www.mutualinspirations.org for upcoming events.