Thoughts with the legendary Czech director Jiří Menzel (Closely Watched Trains, Larks on a String, I Served the King of England), who was placed in an artificially-induced coma following extensive brain surgery in November.
Menzel has been awake since Christmas, but remains in the care of doctors at Prague’s Central Military Hospital.
Should he be able to travel later this month, however, he’ll have a lot to look forward to.
The Berlin International Film Festival, or Berlinale, announced earlier today that it will be honoring Menzel with a Golden Camera Award at this year’s festival, which will take place later this month.
Also awarded at this year’s fest with a Golden Camera will be European Film Market president Beki Probst and Israeli Film Fund director Katrial Schory, while US actor Willem Dafoe, currently up for an Oscar for his role in The Florida Project, will receive a lifetime achievement award.
Whether or not he can attend the festival, Menzel will be awarded on February 23, to coincide with his 80th birthday.
Menzel also stars in one of the films featured at this year’s Berlin Film Festival: Slovak director Martin Šulík’s The Interpreter (Tlumočník; pictured above), which will have its world premiere during the festival.
A road movie about two elderly men travelling through Slovakia, Menzel stars in the titular role opposite Austrian actor Peter Simonischek, best known for his role in 2016’s Toni Erdmann.
Jiří Menzel: To Make a Comedy is No Fun, a documentary from filmmaker Robert Kolinsky that premiered at last year’s Zlín Film Festival, is an excellent introduction to Menzel’s life and work.
