Karlovy Vary Film Festival Opens With Pop and Politics

thewrap.com:

bombastico.But then, this was, in every sense, a big night. Once the film let out, the thousand-strong crowd gathered outside Karlovy Vary’s main site for a free show that featured Czech band MIG 21, a 60-piece orchestra, 20 choir singers and two rather saucy dancers, and that concluded – as only such a statement could – with a fireworks display.

The message was clear: This festival was back. The next day, however, saw pomp give way to circumstance, particularly once actor Liev Schreiber took the stage.

Though the “Ray Donovan” star will sit for an hour-long career retrospective in the days to come, on Saturday he wanted to redirect the festival’s spotlight towards more wrenching and immediate concerns. “We value celebrity in our culture,” the actor said at a press conference devoted to the recently launched initiative BlueCheck Ukraine.  “And if that celebrity could be channeled to something useful, that’s a good thing.” Indeed, at his 45-minute press conference, Schreiber struck an introspective tone as he reflected on his own Ukrainian heritage and on the role his star stature could play to offer humanitarian support without sensationalizing the conflict or hogging the limelight. “I’m very tired of seeing in the media anchors and talking heads perpetuating this news cycle of us feeding (the Ukrainian people’s) fear and suffering,” Schreiber said. “While there is probably a great story (to tell), we’re in it and the time for telling it is not right now.”“It feels too acute to tell stories,” he continued. “And besides, I’m too tall to play Zelensky.” Named for that social media seal of authenticity, Schreiber’s BlueCheck initiative instead looks to act as an intermediary, connecting international donors with thoroughly.