Almost everybody has heard of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival held every year in Carlsbad. But did you know that thanks to its perfect location, high number of different attractions, beautiful natural scenery, preserved historical monuments and majestic church buildings it is also a paradise for movie makers? This region is very popular among Czech and foreign productions for making films, TV series and commercials. Do you want to know why? Come and find out for yourself.
Selfie with a Hollywood celebrity? Yes, please!
Film has a long tradition in Karlovy Vary, which is of course mainly associated with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Established in the 1940s, the KVIFF has become one of the most famous and important events in the movie industry worldwide. Over the years, many famous stars such as Gina Lollobrigida, Alan Alda, Leonardo DiCaprio, Salma Hayek, Michael Douglas, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro, John Malkovich, Antonio Banderas, Sharon Stone, Mel Gibson, John Travolta, Jean Reno, Jamie Dornan and more have come to attend the festival or to receive the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema.
Special tip: If you want to meet a celebrity face to face, just come to Karlovy Vary during the International Film Festival held at the beginning of summer (30 June – 8 July 2017).
As the festival has helped promote the city and the region all over the world, it has also created an awareness for movie production in Karlovy Vary and the nearby town of Loket with its medieval castle (known e.g. from the 2016 global Coca Cola Christmas commercial). All in all, more than 120 films have been shot in Karlovy Vary so that the city needed to establish The Film Office responsible for attracting filmmakers to Carlsbad and creating suitable conditions for their work.
Do you want to feel like James Bond? Let’s explore the world-famous film locations
If you love film locations, just go for walk to the spa centre of Karlovy Vary.
- Start at the Imperial Spa. The James Bond movie Casino Royal was filmed in this beautiful building. Also filmed here were Czech films such as A Prominent Patient or the series Já, Mattoni.
- Continue to the spa centre and admire the beautiful buildings and landmarks not only from the movies. One of the other film locations is the Hot Spring Colonnade where the warmest Carlsbad healing spring gushes forth. The famous Czechoslovak comedy film Waiter, Scarper! (sometimes billed as Run, Waiter, Run!) was filmed here.
- Next go to Spring Street. This street was changed to the famous Farmer’s Street in the movie Last Holiday starring Gérard Depardieu and Queen Latifah.
- You can end your walk at Dvořák Park. A scene from The Ring with Michael York and Nastassja Kinski was filmed here.
Other famous films that were shot in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) include La Vie en rose, Shanghai Knights and Red Tails.
Hopefully, Karlovy Vary will continue to be a popular film destination and this tradition will continue.
Shine on the silver screen
If you want to become a film star for a while, it’s not a problem in Carlsbad. I personally performed in many films such as The Ring when I was 5 and 20 years later in the Czech series Já, Mattoni and the Masaryk biopic A Prominent Patient that won a record number of Czech Oscars (the Czech Lion Awards).