Eva Kacerova is the Festival Director for Days of European Film in Czech Republic. After graduation at the Charles University Prague (Faculty of Arts) in 1971, Eva Kacerova worked in Czechoslovak Filmexport, then in the Czechoslovak Film Institute – Film Archive and since 1994 organizing the DAYS OF EUROPEAN FILM festival as a free lance.
Bijan Tehrani: Please tell us about the purpose of the Days of European Film?
Eva Kacerova: The main purpose is to enrich the offer of European films in CR at least for the 3 weeks of the Festival – we are trying to bring a selection of recent interesting films, and if they come decorated with national or international film awards, all the better.
Bijan: What organization holds the festival and what is your role in it and how long you have been involved with the festival?
Eva: It is a non-profit civic association called EUROFILMFEST that organizes the festival. I am the chairwoman of the association and director of the festival. It is a very small team of 3 girls who do all the work – Barbora Golatova, Zuzana Popova and me. I have been with the festival for the past 13 years.
Bijan: We congratulate you for being able to put together such an impressive event. Just list of the movies attending the Days of European Film is amazing. How many countries have participated in the festival and how the movies have been selected?
Eva: Thank you for the flowers :-)! There are Embassies and Cultural Institutes of 27 countries participating in the festival by bringing films and guests. Throughout the year we collect titles of films recommended to us by various (Czech and foreign) film critics and other festivals´ directors and then we send this list of proposals to all the Embassies – they either follow our sugestions or they have their own ideas about a good film that should represent their country.
Bijan: How the audiences receive Days of European Film in Czech Republic?
Eva: Oh, they like it very much, I am happy to say. First year about 6.000 viewers came to see the films and last year it was almost 19.000!
Bijan: Are there any other events at the festival besides the film screenings?
Eva: Yes, every year there is a Round Table Discussion on some interesting “film theme” and a workshop focusing on “film education” at school.
Bijan: Are there any gust filmmaker/critic attending the festival?
Eva: Several of the films are presented by their director or main actor or producer who stay after the screening to discuss the films with the audiences – very lively events interesting for both parties :-).
Bijan: How the film students receive Days of European Film? Do you have people coming from other countries to attend the festival?
Eva: Among the viewers there are film students as well, sometimes special seminars take place at the Prague Film School with some of the visiting filmmakers. And there are foreign viewers attending the festival as well – 99% of the films have English subtitles which is attractive for them.
Bijan: Does Days of European Film helps the film industry in Czech Republic?
Eva: In a small way, yes – e.g. when the Round Table Discussion is attended by foreign experts who can exchange experiences with their Czech colleagues.
Bijan: What are your plans for the future of the Days of European Film?
Eva: To keep it alive :-)!