KVIFF Master of Ceremonies Michal Caban Interview

Attendees of the Karlovy Range Worldwide Movie Pageant (KVIFF) are inclined to rave in regards to the lineup of stars attending, the celebratory, even occasion, ambiance that takes over the picturesque Czech spa city in the course of the occasion – and people action-packed opening ceremonies.

Previous years have seen the likes of ice skaters, horses, flames, and bloodbaths getting the fest off to the races with a bang and leaving company breathless. This yr’s 58th version of KVIFF kicked off on Friday with a form of best-of assortment of characters and themes from previous ceremonies.

As has turn out to be custom, the enjoyable and pleasure is served up by the Caban brothers. They’re Michal Caban, director of opening and shutting ceremony, KVIFF, director, choreographer, and grasp of ceremonies, and his brother Šimon Caban, co-director of opening and shutting ceremony, KVIFF, architect, stage designer, and director.

Michal Caban, in an electronic mail interview, informed THR in regards to the duo’s inspirations, challenges they’ve confronted with a few of their daring stage reveals, how the annual magic comes collectively due to a Fast Motion Unit, and his different work, together with on the Paris Summer time Olympics.

You have got performed so many wild and thrilling Karlovy Range movie pageant opening reveals – with ice skaters, fireplace, vertical dancing and extra – which all the time appear to depart the viewers breathless and in awe. How do you get your inspiration yearly?

I’m not alone on this. I’ve been doing the opening reveals with my brother Simon for the previous 28 years. This offers us a fantastic benefit as a result of a minimum of considered one of us comes up with one thing each time. And fortuitously, we’ve had sufficient concepts for now. Our pageant and brotherly collaboration stems from our joint theater mission, Baletni jednotka Krec (Ballet Unit Cramp). We based this group within the Nineteen Eighties and outlined that we like massive, dynamic photos stuffed with a robust ambiance. And I feel we introduced that over to the pageant.

Do you ever fear you may run out of concepts? And do you keep in mind any reveals when inspiration got here to you in a very uncommon or humorous approach?

Generally the concept comes later, however we don’t fear about not having one. Very often, in the course of the realization of [the show of] a given yr, an concept for one more present comes. Often, we now have a number of views, after which in a joint dialogue with my brother, we give attention to one. Inspiration comes from in all places – we simply look, we understand, however most significantly we now have a fairly vivid creativeness. I used to be watching TV in the future, and there was a report from some world championship in pair leaping on trampolines. Really, I didn’t know on the time that such a factor, synchronized trampoline leaping, even existed. So I believed, let’s do it with extra individuals, somewhat dance-like, totally different strikes… and that was it. The curtain opened, 4 males had been hanging within the air, and all of the sudden they had been let go from a fantastic peak, the corridor gasped… after which they landed on 4 massive trampolines.

One other time, in the summertime, I watched our younger youngsters slide across the backyard on plastic strips of some form of slides, which had been being watered. It was on a flat floor and it was going like loopy… So we created extra slides within the Nice Corridor of the Thermal Resort and we let it rain down from above. Fairly enjoyable and fairly harmful. Water and electrical energy don’t like one another…

And generally it’s important to let concepts ripen. For instance, final yr’s opening present with ice skaters was one thing we considered about 15 years in the past, however again then the expertise with synthetic ice wasn’t far sufficient alongside to make it occur… so we simply waited. By the best way, we’ve been working with this synchronized skating staff since 2004, largely sporting occasions. Did you discover the phrase “synchronized”? We prefer it in choreography and in our fraternal collaboration…

By which date or month do it’s important to resolve on the large concept and choreography for the KVIFF opening ceremony to tug the exhibit? How a lot time do you want for the performers to follow the choreography and the place do you follow with them?

The numerous years of cooperation with the pageant administration and its president, Jiri Bartoska, is predicated on large belief. After all, this was constructed primarily based on good work circumstances, that means particularly the liberty in creation, and in addition primarily based on outcomes, which have by no means upset. So, no person is pressuring us, slightly we ourselves attempt to have a imaginative and prescient in the beginning of the yr, which we goal to current to the pageant in April or so. Then we put collectively a staff. This takes place round Might.

Nonetheless, [we have] nearly everlasting collaborators who’re in a position to do something with us at any time. That’s why we name them the “Jednotka Rychleho Nasazeni” (Fast Motion Unit). And since the area at Thermal is so particular, we will solely rehearse components in Prague, which we then “assemble” collectively on the spot. The size of rehearsals and technical preparations varies from yr to yr. Generally it’s one or two days, generally 4 or 5 rehearsals.

Our rehearsals differ, we don’t have a everlasting area. It was at Czech Tv, the place we rehearsed, for instance, with wheelchair customers – that was a really uncommon yr. Recently, we largely attempt to do many of the preparations within the halls of the MeetFactory, an alternate tradition middle in Prague.

When was the primary yr you labored on the KVIFF opening ceremony and the way did you get that job initially?

In 1995, on the time when the second fashionable version [of KVIFF] was being ready below the path of Jiri Bartoska’s staff, Simon, as an architect-scenographer, was approached by the pageant’s producer on the time, Rudolf Biermann, if he want to adorn the pageant in Range. After all, he wished to. Simon was really useful by Ales Najbrt, a classmate from UMPRUM [the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague], a graphic designer who had simply designed the poster for the movie Vasnivy bozk (A Passionate Kiss) by the aforementioned movie producer. The {photograph} for a similar poster was taken by Tono Stano.

Along with structure, my brother organized the opening and shutting of the pageant within the first yr slightly than directing it. It was only a technical award presentation slightly than a ceremony, which I then turned it into.

After the top of the thirtieth version of the pageant, the Karlovy Range Worldwide Movie Pageant Basis met to guage the earlier version and put together for the following one. Václav Marhoul, then director of the Barrandov Movie Studio, was additionally a member. When it got here to the query of the ceremony itself, the group and path of all of the accompanying occasions, he prompt me by saying that, and I quote, “he didn’t know of anybody who might do it higher.”

Since then, we now have operated as a four-person artistic staff: Ales Najbrt as primary designer of posters, program and all visuals, Tono Stano was the photographer of the poster, Simon grew to become the architect of the pageant, and I grew to become the director of ceremonies and the organizer of many accompanying packages and social occasions. This was the case for a few years. At the moment, nonetheless, solely Ales Najbrt’s graphic design studio stays in its capabilities, and my brother and I focus primarily on the opening and shutting reveals and ceremonies.

Did you ever have to sit down out a yr since you had been too busy or is that this simply an excessive amount of enjoyable to overlook?

Sure, we skipped one yr. In 2003, after eight years of cooperation, the preliminary monumental enthusiasm was slightly exhausted and someway we anticipated issues to get so as. I don’t need to dwell on it an excessive amount of, as a result of we owe so much to the pageant, however it’s true that, amongst different issues, we didn’t really feel that there was an inclination to regulate the price range to the evolving calls for of the instances, the technical requirements and simply the circumstances. My brother Simon, in his position as architect, additionally struggled with the identical feeling. He started to really feel like a storekeeper simply pulling previous artifacts out of storage.

Typically, it was nice enjoyable, but it surely was additionally a horrible accountability. So we determined it was greatest to give up whereas nonetheless forward…

It was an excellent resolution. The thirty eighth version was ready by a special staff, which put such a pressure on the pageant manufacturing, each organizationally and financially, that we returned in 2004 below significantly better circumstances. That’s, just for the ceremonies, my brother didn’t return because the architect of the pageant.

How difficult was the dialogue in regards to the present throughout COVID?

The yr 2020 was a irritating one for the entire world. On March 12, 2020, the world nearly got here to an finish because it was actually paralyzed by the [COVID-19] pandemic. Six days later, we had been to current our imaginative and prescient for that yr to Jiri Bartoska. The assembly was canceled. All the pieces stopped. It was clear that the pageant couldn’t happen throughout COVID, for the primary time since its inception in 1946…

When there have been indicators in Might that one thing can be performed in Karlovy Range, we thought, given the scenario, we might use the empty auditorium for the primary and hopefully final time.

The corporate Stary & Stary, which has been manufacturing the design of the pageant for a few years and can be our provider of decorations, needed to swap to one thing else. They began to disinfect premises. We wished to make use of their tools within the “Disinfection” choreography and rename our Fast Motion Unit because the “Disinfection Fast Motion Unit.”

In the long run, every thing was totally different. The pageant got here up with the nice concept of a movie showcase referred to as Tady Range (Range Right here), which was distributed in 96 cinemas throughout the Czech Republic. And so I went to Karlovy Range this time and directed “solely” the president of the pageant Jiri Bartoska and moderator Marek Eben within the empty Grand Corridor of the Thermal Resort. Collectively we ready a good opening of the movie showcase, which was streamed to all taking part cinemas throughout the Czech Republic.

Was there ever a giant KVIFF opening present concept that you just needed to change or let go as a result of it was too loopy?

We had and have a variety of concepts that we want to use within the reveals, however it’ll by no means work, as a result of the Grand Corridor is primarily a cinema, and after the opening present, we additionally must display the opening film in full high quality and with an empty area in entrance of the display. It’s not a theater with a revolving stage, backstage, and many others. for us to afford difficult remodelings.

That’s why I nonetheless don’t perceive how in 1999 we obtained three hydraulic lifting platforms on the stage, that are used for instance below vehicles in auto restore retailers, that exceeded the size of the doorway door. I assume we’ll by no means discover out. As a result of that yr the theme of the pageant was a bit in regards to the movie lover Oldrich Novy, a Czech actor. And in the long run, we got here up with a barely erotic, synchronized “mattress” scene. The feeling when the beds erected on these platforms to a peak of seven meters was spectacular.

Moreover your brother, are there some other key collaborators in your KVIFF reveals?

My brother Simon and I’ve been creating the present for 29 years now, and most of that point has been spent with us by our total manufacturing staff, together with costume designer Simona Rybakova, video projection designer Vojtech Kopecky, producers Ilona Labutova and Jakub Svejda and, after all, the aforementioned group of dancers related to the Fast Motion Unit.

What different primary work have you ever targeted on since final yr’s Karlovy Range pageant and what’s developing for followers of your work?

Personally, I’ve a reasonably big selection. I do the realizations for a variety of social occasions and different ceremonies, movie music concert events, co-create sports-cultural initiatives – simply form of soar from style to style. I get pleasure from it as a result of it interacts in a constructive approach. Generally I take a look at a precept at a industrial occasion that works properly for me later on the opening present on the pageant, and different instances it’s vice versa.

Since final yr’s pageant, for instance, I inaugurated the previous Computerized Mills advanced in Pardubice, roughly an outside occasion, I ready a musical mission of a singer of fashionable songs for the O2 Universum corridor within the O2 Area, the most important Czech area, I directed a live performance by opera diva Eva Urbanova, and in the identical area, however on ice, I collaborated on the celebration of 120 years of the Prague ice-hockey membership.

And lately, in Might, in the course of the opening present of the Ice Hockey World Championship, I ready the cultural a part of the celebration of 130 years of a Prague [soccer] membership within the Commerce Honest Palace, I noticed two musical initiatives within the conventional Lucerna Corridor and after this yr’s pageant, I’ll go to Paris to inaugurate the Czech Home as a part of the Summer time Olympic Video games, solely to maneuver to Cesky Krumlov, the place I’m filming a [Egon] Schiele dance efficiency on the revolving auditorium within the fort park. It’s colourful, I’m not complaining…

Is there any movie and TV work you’ve got performed over your profession that individuals can try?

I grew to become extra concerned in movie and tv within the Nineties. As a choreographer, I additionally labored on overseas movies, corresponding to Dune and Kids of Dune, and as a dance troupe, the Ballet Unit Cramp, we additionally carried out in Milos Forman’s movie Amadeus in 1983.

I just like the Czech movies Prazská 5 (Prague 5), Kour (Smoke), Prazakum, tem je tu hej (Prague Choice), which I choreographed. In 1992, my brother Simon and I made our solely function movie up to now, Don Gio, in regards to the form of Mozart-inspired insanity that occurred within the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution. The subtitle of the movie was “Expressive, morally cultural horror”… which speaks for itself.

My brother and I’ve made a number of dance movies for Czech Tv, and the movie KusPoKusu (PieceByPiece) received the Screendance award in Cologne, Germany. I’ve additionally choreographed and conceptualized a variety of tv stage items set to music by Bohuslav Martinu and Erwin Schulhoff. A few of them received awards on the Golden Prague TV Movie Pageant. Now we have additionally made particular recordings of musical initiatives ensuing from the collaboration of our Ballet Unit Cramp and the musical group Laura and Her Tigers – The Thomas Tracy Present, Time of Rhythms, Ritual 199X.

It was a colourful time, however in the present day, sadly, the TV stations aren’t involved in some of these issues anymore. And so we additionally turned to musicals and opera, however that’s one other chapter.

Every other enjoyable or scary Karlovy Range anecdotes you possibly can share?

I feel I’ve stated sufficient. However there’s another factor I might point out. And that’s that I’ve had most likely one of many worst work moments additionally related with the pageant.

In 2007, we considered the theme of silver fringes [hanging over the stage], which dancers might manipulate and dance with. It was glittery and spectacular. Opening evening was a giant success. Every week later, it was time to organize for Saturday’s closing ceremony. Within the Nice Corridor of the Thermal, the screenings ended after midnight on Friday, and by 9:00 a.m. the corridor was ours once more. The technicians got here in to re-hang the fastidiously folded fringes. We all know what it means after they get tangled. That’s why we did a rehearsal beforehand specializing in the storage. However – and that is the BUT – with a special sort of fringe from a special provider (cost-savings on the flawed factor). It backfired badly: the fastidiously folded fringes obtained fully tangled. Uncombable. Horrible. It was clear to us that since they had been shipped all the best way from Italy and weren’t low-cost, there was no probability of getting new ones rapidly. Fast resolution – get as many momentary employees and other people keen to assist as potential, put a rake of their fingers and comb them out…

Time was passing, the director of the TV broadcast was nervously pacing, however as a result of we now have identified one another for a very long time, he didn’t even “flinch” and patiently trusted us. Within the meantime, I used to be already getting ready a plan in my head, what we might exchange it with, inside about 7 hours, for the night. One of many “worst” moments of our artistic profession…

Just a few dozen volunteers had been quietly and patiently combing the perimeter little by little, and we had been simply praying that we might be capable of get a minimum of a few of the fringe prepared by the beginning of the closing ceremony.

Earlier than six o’clock we needed to end the work. To today, the second after we introduced the mandatory finish of the sweaty effort brings tears to my eyes. Some made it, however some didn’t and needed to depart the unfinished work crying.

It was heartbreaking. We didn’t have some other alternative and went straight to the closing present with out a single rehearsal. It labored. Thanks, all! At the moment, Czech Tv was nonetheless broadcasting in 4:3 format, so the image was stuffed with fringes, and also you couldn’t inform that the realm was really narrower than in the course of the opening.

Interview edited for size and readability.