WEEKEND PHOTOS: Graffiti art surprise, Karlovy Vary winners, and capybara babies

The British documentary A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things, directed by Mark Cousins, won the prestigious Crystal Globe grand prize at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. The documentary, narrated by Tilda Swinton, explores the life of British artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.

Singaporean director Nelicia Low received the Best Director award for her feature debut Pierce. The Special Jury Award went to the Norwegian drama Loveable, earning Helga Guren the Best Actress award. The Best Actor award was shared by Dutch actors Ton Kas and Guido Pollemans for Three Days of Fish. The Daily Pravo Audience Award went to Jiří Mádl’s Waves. English actor Clive Own took home the Karlovy Vary IFF President’s Award, while Czech actor Ivan Trojan was awarded for his contribution to Czech cinema.

The paint dried on Prague’s latest street artwork through the weekend. Florenc station on metro line C now features vibrant murals by renowned artists Michal Škapa, Matěj Olmer, and Jan Miko. Supported by the Prague City Gallery, the murals were created over seven nights during the station’s reconstruction. The artworks, set to remain for up to three years, aim to enhance the commuting experience. An opening evening for the murals will be held on Thursday. The artists also plan similar projects for the future line D.

Four capybara cubs were born at Prague Zoo Sunday morning, though one may not survive, zoo director Miroslav Bobek reported. This marks the zoo’s first capybara birth in a decade after reintroducing the species last fall. The parents, a female from Germany and a male from Denmark left one cub in the enclosure while taking three outside. The zoo revived capybara breeding due to visitor demand after ending it in 2013.

A record-breaking 50,000 spectators attended the Beats for Love festival in Ostrava on Saturday, drawn by headliner DJ David Guetta. Over the four-day electronic and dance music festival, more than 162,000 people participated, surpassing the previous record of 160,000 set in 2022. This year, the festival featured 512 artists across 18 stages and introduced innovations like a cashless payment system.

The classic Czech comedy Sun, Hay, Strawberries (Slunce, seno, jahody) celebrated its 40th anniversary with an official premiere at a festival in Hoštice, attracting thousands. Directed by Zdeněk Troška, the film was first released in 1984 despite opposition from the socialist regime. The event featured over 5,000 attendees, including fans from Slovakia. Troška expressed joy over the film’s enduring popularity, noting its initial covert release and the regime’s attempt to ban it.