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Mutual Inspirations Festival Kicks Off Sept. 3

(This article expired 23.08.2013.)

The Embassy of the Czech Republic announces the Mutual Inspirations Festival 2012-Miloš Forman, celebrating Oscar-winning, Czech-American director Miloš Forman’s 80th birthday and work, the best of Czech cinematography, and the accomplishments of the transatlantic film industry.

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Check out the festival website at www.mutualinspirations.org.
Download the press release.

The Mutual Inspirations Festival 2012-Miloš Forman runs September-October, and features internationally renowned directors, artists, and historians, and over 30 events at prestigious venues throughout the Washington area. The festival incorporates screenings, concerts, lectures, exhibitions, and theater performances related to film and photography. A special component of this year's festival is also a U.S.-wide retrospective: A Tribute to Miloš Forman, highlighting the works of the renowned director at select US cities.

The festival is an annual initiative spearheaded by the Embassy of the Czech Republic, under the patronage of Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg, presenting an extraordinary Czech personality and focusing on the mutual inspirations between Czech and American cultures. 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. The events are open to the public and most of the events are free of charge.                  

This year, the festival will showcase six main threads: 

FILM CLUB– explores different aspects of filmmaking with professionals from the industry—from screenwriting and production to direction, presenting round table discussions at the Embassy of the Czech Republic.

MASTERS OF CINEMA – features the works of Czech cinematic geniuses, from Gustav Machatý, a legend of the silent film era; to František Vláčil, a director who had an incredible flair for epic films; and Miloš Forman, leader of the Czech New Wave as well as acclaimed Hollywood director. The film screenings take place at the National Gallery of Art.

AFI SHOWCASE – offers a selection of Forman’s Hollywood features as well as a special Czech screenings at the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center.    

CONTEMPORARY CZECH CINEMA brings award-winning contemporary Czech films and documentaries to the Washington, DC, community through screenings at the Avalon Theater.

DOCS IN SALUTE– focuses on documentaries with Jewish themes and takes place at the Library of Congress. The series is dedicated to Miloš Forman’s parents who died in concentration camps during World War II.              

FILM AND BEER– presents Czech classic films that include an element of Czech beer. Viewers can watch these films while savoring a draft of Pilsner Urquell.       

Award-winning director Miloš Forman grew up in the Czech Republic. He was hailed as a major talent of the Czech New Wave with films exploring social and moral issues, including Loves of a Blonde (1965) and Firemen’s Ball (1967), which was banned after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Forman later came to the United States and made several successful films, notably One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), which won five Academy Awards, and Amadeus (1984), which garnered eight Academy Awards including Forman’s second Oscar for directing. In his films, Forman explores the theme of the individual versus society. His films address questions of personal freedom, social conformity, and the oppression of the individual.               

For more information about the festival and a complete schedule of events, please visit www.mutualinspirations.org.

2012 FESTIVAL EVENTS
(Additional events are being added on a continuing basis. Please stay posted at www.mutualinspirations.org for upcoming events)

KEY EVENTS    
LAUNCH PARTY!
On September 8, from 6-9 pm, renowned Czech artist Bořek Šípek will present his first U.S. solo exhibition Bořek Šípek: Baroque Soiree, featuring exquisite glass designs at Industry Gallery in Washington, DC. Director Miloš Forman is a friend of Šípek and an avid collector of his impressive glass pieces. As Forman’s Oscar-winning film Amadeus utilized the historic dressings of Mozart’s era to clothe and distinguish a regal space, so does Šípek incorporate opulent designs to transform a stark space into a majestic realm. The event also serves to launch the festival. For more information, please e-mail info@industrygallerydc.com.              

FILM CLUB - On September 13, at 6:30 pm, historian Tomáš Bouška will present the film K. Ch. – The Documentary Portrait of a Female Political Prisoner at the Embassy of the Czech Republic as part of the Embassy’s Film Club series. As Forman has examined the lives of individuals oppressed by regimes in films such as Goya’s Ghosts, Bouška’s documentary takes viewers inside the life of Karla Charvátová (K.Ch.) who was a political prisoner in Czechoslovakia in 1948 and presents her real life journey. A discussion with the director and other special guests will follow the screening. Admission is free. For reservations, e-mail reservations@mutualinspirations.org and put “Bouska” in the subject line. (DIR. Tomáš Bouška, 2011, 42 min., Czech with English subtitles)              

FILM AND BEER - On September 18, at 6 pm, Bistro Bohem will screen the much loved classic film Cutting It Short (Postřižiny) by Czech New Wave and Oscar-winning director Jiří Menzel. The film is based on the writing of Bohumil Hrabal and his childhood in Nymburk’s brewery in the 1920s. Enjoy the humorous tale and savor a nice Pilsner brew at this local Czech restaurant while watching the classic flick. Admission is free. (DIR. Jiří Menzel, 1981, 93 min., Czech with English subtitles)     

AFI SHOWCASE –On September 23, at 7 pm and September 24 at 8:10 pm (with special guest), the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center will feature Daisies (Sedmikrásky)by director Věra Chytilová, the Czech New Wave’s sole female director.The film follows two young bored women who have anarchic fun in a series of loosely connected episodes. The visually stunning film challenges gender-identity politics. Following the political upheaval in 1968, Chytilová was banned from making films until 1975. Tickets can be purchased at AFI’s box office or online at www.afi.com/silver.(DIR. Věra Chytilová, 1966, 74 min., Czech with English subtitles)           
                     
MASTERS OF CINEMA - On September 30, at 4 pm (film) | 6:30 pm (concert), the National Gallery of Art will present a special program celebrating Miloš Forman’s triumphant success – Amadeus, with a screening of the director’s cut of the film in the East Building Auditorium. The film garnered eight Oscars, including Forman’s second Oscar for Best Director. The evening of celebration continues with members of the Catholic University of America's Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir, under the direction of conductor Murry Sidlin, presenting Rimsky-Korsakov's one act opera Mozart and Salieri and Mozart's Requiem at 6:30 pm, in the National Gallery’s West Building, West Garden Court. Admission is free. (DIR. Miloš Forman, 1984, 160 min., English)      

CONTEMPORARY CZECH CINEMA - On October 10, at 8 pm, the Avalon Theater welcomes award-winning documentary filmmaker Helena Třeštíková, who will screen her film Katka, which follows a drug addict over 14 years. Katka is an extraordinarily raw and uncensored character portrait of a troubled young woman living on the edge of human existence, desperately searching for love and salvation. A Q&A with the director follows the screening. Tickets can be purchased at the Avalon Theater or online at www.theavalon.org. (DIR. Helena Třeštíková, 2010, 90 min., Czech with English subtitles)              
DOCS IN SALUTE - On October 17, at 12 noon, documentary filmmaker Pavel Štingl will present his film Four Pairs of Shoes (Čtyři párybot), a documentary portrait on the life of Jan Wiener, at the Library of Congress in the Pickford Theater. Wiener fled war-torn Europe during World War II and returned as an RAF serviceman. He was sent into forced labor for five years during the 1950s, and left for the USA in the 60s, becoming a professor of history. A Q&A with director Pavel Štingl follows the screening. Admission is free. For more information, contact Gail Shirazi at gshi@loc.gov.(DIR. Pavel Štingl, 1997, 55 min., Czech with English subtitles).  

FESTIVAL ENCORE - On November 3, at 5 pm (gallery talk) | 6-9 pm (exhibition opening), the AU Museum at the Katzen Arts Center will open fine art photographer Ivan Pinkava’s exhibition as part of FotoWeek DC and an encore to the festival. Pinkava has devoted himself to non-commercial photography. He has created his own distinctive language, which has ensured him a place on the arts scene. A gallery talk with the artist begins at 5 pm, followed by the exhibition opening from 6-9 pm. Enjoy an evening of truly beautiful photography captured by one of the finest photographers in the Czech Republic today. Admission is free. 

FILMS
DOCS IN SALUTE - On September 4, at 12 noon, the Library of Congress will launch the Docs in Salute film series in the Pickford Theater. The series focuses on interesting personalities touched by Jewish themes and pays tribute to Miloš Forman’s parents who died in concentration camps. Docs in Salute kicks off with a screening of excerpts from the film Miloš Forman: What Doesn’t Kill You… (Miloš Forman: Co těnezabije...) and an introduction on the life of the acclaimed director by Czech Cultural Attaché Robert Řehák. Admission is free. For more information, contact Gail Shirazi at gshi@loc.gov. (DIR. MiloslavŠmídmajer,2012, 37 min. excerpts, in Czech with English subtitles)                              

CONTEMPORARY CZECH CINEMA - On September 12, at 8 pm, the Avalon Theater will feature director Bohdan Sláma’s Four Suns (Čtyři slunce) as part of its contemporary film series Lions of Czech Film. In the film, Jára finds himself in a downwards spiral. He sees his teenage son repeating his own mistakes, while his wife’s patience wears thin. The film was selected to compete in the Sundance Film Festival. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.theavalon.org. (DIR. Bohdan Sláma,2012, 93 min., Czech with English subtitles)              
               
DOCS IN SALUTE - On September 19, at 12 noon, the Library of Congress will present the documentary In the Shadow of Memory by director Jacky Comforty in the Pickford Theater. In 1942, Nazis destroyed the innocent Czech village of Lidice, killing all the men of the town and sending the women and children to concentration camps to avenge the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, a mastermind of Nazi genocide. Producer Jerri Zbiral explores the ongoing effects, the legacy of tragedy, and its relevance to today as she follows her mother and others who survived back to the site of the massacre. A Q&A with producer Jerri Zbiral follows the screening. Admission is free. For more information, contact Gail Shirazi at gshi@loc.gov. (DIR. Jacky Comforty, 2007, 52 min., Czech and English with English subtitles)              

AFI SHOWCASE - On September 22 and 23, at 11 am, the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center will screen the Oscar-nominated film The People vs. Larry Flynt. The film follows the life of pornographic magazine publisher and editor Larry Flynt (Woody Harrelson) and his subsequent clash with the law. The film spans Flynt's life, from his impoversihed upbringing in Kentucky to his court battle with Reverend Jerry Falwell, centering on freedom of expression. Tickets can be purchased at AFI’s box office or online at www.afi.com/silver.(DIR. Miloš Forman, 1996, 129 min., English)              

MASTERS OF CINEMA – On September 23, at 4:30 pm, the National Gallery of Art will screen Miloš Forman's first feature-length filmAudition(Konkurs) as well as his American debut filmTaking Off. Director of the National Film Archive in Prague, Michal Bregant, will introduce the films, discussing Forman's cinematic style. Admission is free. (DIR. Miloš Forman, Konkurs, 1963, 47 min., Czech with English subtitles) |(DIR. Miloš Forman, Taking Off, 1971, 93 min., English)                       
FILM CLUB – On September 27, at 6:30 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will screen the Making of Amadeus. This riveting film takes a look behind the scenes at the trials and tribulations of shooting the Oscar-winning film AmadeusAt the center of the creative force is film genius Miloš Forman. After 20 years in exile, Forman returns to his homeland to film his masterpiece. With sets crawling with undercover police, Forman discovers that he must put his personal emotions aside in order for the film to succeed. A Q&A follows the screening with Cultural Counselor Barbara Karpetová. For reservations, e-mail reservations@mutualinspirations.org and put “Making of Amadeus” in the subject line.(DIR. Bill Jersey, 2002, 60 min., Czech and English with English subtitles)

AFI SHOWCASE – On September 29 and 30, at 11 am, the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center will screen Man on the Moon, a biographical film of eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman (Jim Carrey). The film traces Kaufman's steps from childhood to comedy clubs and television appearances, including his time on Saturday Night Live, among others. Tickets can be purchased at AFI’s box office or online at www.afi.com/silver.(DIR. Miloš Forman, 1999, 118 min., English)       
MASTERS OF CINEMA – On September 29, at 1 pm, the National Gallery Art will present a collection of Miloš Forman’s early works. Before coming to the United States, Miloš Forman received international acclaim as one of the leaders of the Czech New Wave, a movement that featured some of the most attractive films produced in Europe at that time. Explore Forman's Czech works in a special afternoon showcasing The Firemen's Ball (Hoří, má panenko) at 1 pm, followed by Black Peter (Černý Petr) at 3 pm, and Loves of a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky) at 4:45 pm at the National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium. Admission is free. (DIR. Miloš Forman, Hoří, má panenko, 1967, 71 min., Czech with English subtitles,) | (Černý Petr, 1963, 85 min., Czech with English subtitles) | (Lásky jedné plavovlásky, 1965, 83 min., Czech with English subtitles)                         

FILM CLUB - On October 4, at 6:30 pm, renowned Czech film historian and author Pavel Jiras will open the photo exhibitFrantišek Vláčil’s Studio and lecture on two different paths taken by František Vláčil and Miloš Forman to becoming masters of cinematography. The event will include a documentary about Vláčil’s life and work. For reservations, e-mailreservations@mutualinspirations.organd put “Jiras” in the subject line.             

AFI SHOWCASE – On October 6 and 7, at 11 am, the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center will screen Valmont.Set in Baroque France, a scheming widow (Annette Bening) and her lover Valmont (Colin Firth) make a bet regarding the corruption of a recently married young woman. Valmont bets that he can seduce the honorable woman. However, in the process of seducing her, he falls in love. Tickets can be purchased at AFI’s box office or online at www.afi.com/silver.(DIR. Miloš Forman, 1989, 137 min., English)

MASTERS OF CINEMA – On October 7, at 2 pm, the National Gallery of Art will present the Devil’s Trap (Ďáblova past) and the premiere of the restored film Markéta Lazarová in the East Building Auditorium. Director František Vláčil's films are well-known for their extraordinary high art quality. Czech critics and industry experts voted his epic Markéta Lazarová (1967) the best Czech film of all time. (DIR. František Vláčil, Ďáblova past,1962, 85 min., Czech with English subtitles) | (Markéta Lazarová, 1967, 180 min., Czech with English subtitles)               

FILM AND BEER – On October 9, at 6 pm, the Queen Vic pub will present the classic film known as Green Gold or Czech Hops Pickers (Starci na chmelu), the first Czech film musical. The film follows the love story of classmates, while hop-picking over the summer. Their bond strengthens when they are expelled from school because of a jealous friend. Enjoy a refreshing draft of Pilsner Urquell and sing Czech hits in this humorous film. Admission is free. (DIR. Ladislav Rychman, 1964, 88 min., Czech with English subtitles)

DOCS IN SALUTE – On October 10, at 12 noon, co-director Josef Lustig will screen the film The Immortal Balladeer of Prague at the Library of Congress in the Pickford Theater. The film captures the journey of Czech-American Thomas Hasler from Baltimore, to discover the past of his famous father Karel Hašler, a legend of Czech music, theater, and cinema. A Q&A with co-director Josef Lustig and Thomas Hasler follows the screening. For more information, contact Gail Shirazi at gshi@loc.gov.(DIRS: Josef Lustig and Marek Jícha, 2007, 62 min., Czech and English with subtitles)   

FILM CLUB – On October 11, at 6:30 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will host a special evening with director Helena Třeštíková, one of the most renowned documentary filmmakers in the Czech Republic. She will show a selection of clips from her own work and talk about how she was influenced by MilošForman. She will also screen the documentary René, which received the prestigious European Film Academy Award in 2008. Admission is free. For reservations, e-mail reservations@mutualinspirations.org and put “Helena” in the subject line. (DIR. Helena Třeštíková, 2008, 60 min., Czech with English subtitles.)             

MASTERS OF CINEMA – On October 13, at 4:30 pm, the National Gallery of Art will screen František Vláčil’s Valley of the Bees (Údolí včel)in the East Building Auditorium.The film tells the odyssey of Ondřej, exiled as a child to a strict order of religious knights—his punishment after attempting to sabotage his father’s wedding. Admission is free. (DIR. František Vláčil, 1967, 97 min., Czech with English subtitles)              
               

FILM CLUB – On October 18, at 6:30 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will present an evening with documentary director Pavel Štingl, laureate of several international awards, in a program called Films about Past and Pre-past Times. The program pays homage to Miloš Forman through a selection of film memoirs, including clips from Forman’s family album and a surprise exercise from his school experience. Štingl will also screen his own documentary The Story of the Shipwrecked from the Patria (Příběh trosečníků Patrie). For reservations, e-mail reservations@mutualinspirations.org and put “Pavel” in the subject line. (DIR. Pavel Štingl, 2006, 45 min., Czech with English subtitles)      

EXHIBITIONS
From September 3-28, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will have on view a collection of posters from Miloš Forman’s early Czech films as well as his American works.Miloš Forman has directed over a dozen award-winning films, winning best director twice for such films as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus. Admission is free. The exhibition will be on view to the public Monday through Thursday (10 am–4 pm) and Friday (10–2 pm). Please call 202/274-9105 to schedule an appointment.      

From October 4-30, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will present František Vláčil’s Studio, a photo exhibition of the director’s work. Take a sneak peek into the epic film director’s studio via an artistic, black and white photo exhibition, featuring production stills of the film Markéta Lazarová, voted the all-time best Czech movie in a prestigious 1998 poll of Czech film critics and publicists. The exhibition will be on view to the public Monday through Thursday (10 am–4 pm) and Friday (10–2 pm). Please call 202/274-9105 to schedule an appointment.                       

CONCERT
On September 5, at 6 pm, the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage will present Washington Musica Viva performing a concert of music by Czech jazz composer Jaroslav Ježek, arranged by contemporary composer Charley Gerard. Ježek worked as the main composer for comedic playwrights and filmmakers Jan Werich and Jiří Voskovec (V+W), leaders of the Prague Liberated Theater. He was fascinated by American jazz legend Duke Ellington. Musicians include Charley Gerard (saxophone), Jackie Coleman (trumpet), Jared Dubin (trombone), Lenny Robinson (drummer), James King (bass), and Carl Banner (piano). Admission is free. No reservations are required.    

CINÉ-CONCERT    
MASTERS OF CINEMA – On September 15, 2012, at 4 pm, the National Gallery of Art presents Gustav Machatý’s Erotikon, one of the best representative works of Czech silent cinema, in the East Building Auditorium. The film follows a tale of a rural station manager’s daughter being seduced by a handsome lothario. Prague National Gallery curator Andrea Rousová will introduce the film, and Ben Model will provide piano accompaniment for this special screening. (DIR. Gustav Machatý, 1929, 85 min., Silent) 

LECTURE
MASTERS OF CINEMA – On September 22, at 4 pm, the Director of the National Film Archive in Prague, Michal Bregant, will present a lecture on Czech New Wave at the National Gallery of Art in the East Building Auditorium. The Czech New Wave was a golden era in Czech filmmaking,boasting some of the most attractive films produced in the Europe of the 60s and usually defined by a small group of directors, including Miloš Forman, Jiří Menzel, Věra Chytilová, and Ivan Passer, among others. Admission is free. Reservations are not required.              

LECTURE-RECITAL
On September 26, at 12:10 pm, Andrea Rousová, curator from the National Gallery in Prague, in collaboration with solo violinist Barbora Kolářová, will present a lecture-recital on Czech Art  in the 1950s and 60s, the period which influenced Miloš Forman, at the National Gallery of Art, West Building Lecture Hall. The program includes a performance of Alois Hába’s Suite for Solo Violin in six tone system and Klement Slavický’s Partita for Solo Violin. Admission is free.               

THEATER
On October 20, at 11 am and 3 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic welcomes the Czech theater group Geisslers Hofcomedianten who will perform the Stilts Trilogy – a street theater performance comprised of three parts: The Astronomical Clock, The Player, and The Bird Catcher. Actors incorporate music and witty banter as they uncover stories from the baroque Kuks Castle. The event will also include an exhibition on Kuks Castle in the Czech Republic. The performance, dedicated to MilošForman childhood, is a part of the Kids Euro Festival 2012. Admission is free. For reservations, please e-mail reservations@mutualinspirations.org and put “Trilogy” in the subject line. Please be sure to specify which performance you will be attending.            

On October 21, at 11 am and 3 pm, La Maison Française will feature the Czech theater group Geisslers Hofcomedianten who will present the Stilts Trilogy and Kuks Castle exhibition on the premises of the French Embassy. The performances are a part of the Kids Euro Festival 2012. Admission is free. For more information, please visit www.kidseurofestival.org.

SPECIAL EVENT    
On October 28 (time and place to be announced), the Dean of the famous film school in Prague (FAMU), Pavel Jech, will give a talk on Mutual Inspirations in Czech and American Film as well as speak about the life of award-winning director Miloš Forman in connection to the screening of the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In the film, McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) pleads insanity to escape hard labor duties in prison and enters a ward for the mentally unstable. At the institution, he both endures and bears witness to the abuse and degradation of the oppressive Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), who gains superiority and power through humiliating the other patients. The film received five Oscars, including the Academy Award for Best Picture.A Q&A follows the event. Admission is free. For reservations, e-mail reservations@mutualinspirations.org and put “Jech” in the subject line. (DIR. Miloš Forman, 1975, 133 min., English)

WRAP PARTY!      
On October 31, at 7 pm, the Embassy of the Czech Republic will wrap-up the festival with a Halloween Party! The event includes an evening of 80s music with DJ Tom from Prague and guests are encouraged to dress in costume. For reservations, e-mail reservations@mutualinspirations.org and put “Wrap Party” in the subject line.              

 FACT SHEET:

What is the festival’s mission?

The Mutual Inspirations Festival (MIF) is an annual initiative spearheaded by the Embassy of the Czech Republic, which each year focuses on an extraordinary Czech personality who has greatly influenced and inspired others through his or her example and highlights the threads of mutual inspiration between Czech and American cultures (MIF 2010-Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, MIF 2011-Antonín Dvořák, MIF 2012-Miloš Forman). The festival also serves as a platform for developing further collaborations between Czech and American artists, institutions, and businesses. The goal of the festival is to bring the community together, accentuate the inspirations between different cultures, and celebrate how this collaboration has led to ingenious works.               

When was the festival created?

The festival first began in 2010 as a pilot project at the Embassy of the Czech Republic called Mutual Inspirations Festival 2010- Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. The festival ultimately launched to a broader audience in 2011, highlighting Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, and welcomed over 10,000 people at events featuring over 500 local and international artists throughout the nation’s capital. This year’s festival showcases Czech-American director Miloš Forman and celebrates the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s 80th birthday and work, the best of Czech cinematography, and the accomplishments of the transatlantic film industry. Next year, the focus of the festival will be on theatre. Stay posted to learn who the next personality will be for 2013!

Why is this year’s festival dedicated to Miloš Forman?

Miloš Forman has not only been a huge success in the US, but he is also acclaimed for his Czech films. He is hailed as a major talent of the Czech New Wave with films exploring social and moral issues, including Loves of a Blonde (1965) and Firemen’s Ball (1967), which was banned after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Forman later came to the United States and made several successful films, notably One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), which won five Academy Awards, and Amadeus (1984), which garnered eight Academy Awards and Forman’s second Oscar for best directing. Some of his famous films include Hair (1979), Ragtime (1981), Man on the Moon (1999), and The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996). In his films, Forman explores the theme of the individual versus society. His films address questions of personal freedom, social conformity, and the oppression of the individual. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the birth of the renowned director. His filmmaking has served as a bridge between his native land and his current home in the States.               

What types of events are associated with the festival?

The festival does not solely feature the works of Forman. It also presents the “threads” of inspiration, including films of Forman’s Czech New Wave colleagues, a window into contemporary filmmakers of today, an examination of Czech film masters that have propelled the industry forward, and documentary directors that continue to push boundaries. Through the festival, a variety of events are presented, from films and lectures, to concerts, exhibitions, and theatrical performances. The festival encourages viewers to take a thread of inspiration and develop their own genius. Most importantly, the festival serves as an outlet for audiences to “BE INSPIRED.”              

Who is participating in the festival?

The festival this year focuses on film and photography. Therefore, participants include filmmakers, such as internationally renowned documentary directors Helena Třeštíková and Pavel Štingl; artists such as fine arts photographer Ivan Pinkava and leading designer Bořek Šípek; and experts such as Director of the National Archive in Prague—Michal Bregant, Dean of the famous film school in Prague (FAMU)—Pavel Jech, and film historian of Barrandov Studios—Pavel Jiras. We are thrilled as well to highlight local and international artists in special events during the festival as well as incorporate the participation of the public through Q&A sessions and discussions.        

When is the festival?

The festival is on its way to becoming a fixture in DC’s cultural scene and runs from September 3 through October 31.          
Where does the festival take place?

Primarily, the festival takes place throughout the Washington, DC, community, at such prestigious venues as the National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center, Avalon Theater, Kennedy Center, among others. This year, the festival also has extended beyond the bounds of the Washington area through a special US-wide retrospective: A Tribute to Miloš Forman, featuring Forman’s films in select cities throughout the US. We are delighted to have an additional way to reach so many people and have engaging conversations with the community.              

Are the events free?

Some events require a fee, but many of the events are free and open to the public.


Where can I find out more information about the festival?

Visit www.mutualinspirations.org for complete information about the festival and event schedule.