Jirí Bartoska, the leading star in the revolutionary theory, television and films of the sport, died Thursday, and he had saved Karlovy's various international film festivals before serving as its president and public face. He is 78 years old.

Krystof Mucha, executive director of KVIFF, told Hollywood Reporter.

Bartoska was born on March 24, 1947 in the growing number of Karlovy Vary International Filming in Decín, Czechoslovakia for several months. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at the Janacek Music and Academy of Music and Ectrics Arts in Brno, where he was a student when the Soviet Union's career with the state began in 1968.

While in Janacek, Bartoska began visiting the Karlovy Vary of the Bohemian spa (also known for its German name Carlsbad), about 70 miles in Prague. A visit like this led to him being played by director Frantisek Vlácil, which launched his film career: The shadow of the hot summerIn 1978, it continued to win the highest award at KVIFF, Crystal Globe.

In the 1980s, by appearing on TV shows, including ambulance,,,,, Cirkus Humberto and We fulfill our school obligationsBatosca became a household name in Czechoslovakia. At the time, the country had a TV network and a magazine, so it featured in both magazines - he led to major celebrities in both.

He also approached actor Václav Havel, who would continue to be the last president of Czechoslovakia (1989-92), after splitting the country into two countries in 1993, the first president of the Czech Republic (1993-2003). When Kviff is in trouble, the Bartoska/Havel relationship will prove to be critical.

KVIFF was in 1946 (the same year as the Cannes and Los Angeles Festivals) after World War II, two years before the Soviet-backed Communist Party took over Czechoslovakia. (The only European film festival in 1946 was Venice, founded in 1932. Then it was in Mariánské Lázne and Karlovy Vary; then it was only different in Karlovy.

By 1956 it had found its foothold and was declared as the "Category A" festival by the Federation of International Producers' Associations (the same name as Cannes means). Even so, since 1959, the organization has forced alternating with the Moscow International Film Festival every year. The festival has always attracted the world's leading figures - including Frank Capra, Henry Fonda, Tony Curtis, Claudia Cardinale and Bernardo Bertolucci - but is only open to Karlovy's various residents and industry insiders and struggles to struggle financially.

In 1993, the Government of the New Czech Republic withdrew financial support for many cultural activities, believing that they should be financially independent, and it seems that the KVIFF may disappear. In response to the huge rebound, the Ministry of Culture convened a group of influential citizens to find a way forward. Bartoska then recalled: “Igor Sevcik of the Ministry of Culture and several others who were looking to reestablish the credit and status of KVIFF.”

Bartoska and experienced film journalist Eva Zaoralová Budapest Hotel) Establish Karlovy's different film festival foundations. Their efforts helped Fest move forward in 1994, with 70% of its funding coming from private donors (young Leonardo DiCaprio was a guest of that year) and intending to turn it into an annual event.

In 1995, Bartoska became the president of the festival, director of the program for Zaoralová (who held the position until her death in 2022). But that year, the festival faced a new existential threat: the International Federation of Producers Associations learned about the financial turmoil of KVIFF, revoked its Class A status and transferred it to Golden Golem, which was held in Prague that year, and attended two weeks before KVIFF, along with Meryl Street before KVIFF.

It is obvious that the Czech Republic cannot maintain two major film festivals, while citizens breathe and see which one can survive. It is at this moment that the friendship between Bartosca and Javier proves crucial. Javier refused to visit the festival in Prague, but appeared to KViff on opening night. “That was the moment that changed the whole game,” Mousa recalled. Two years later, the Golden Golem disappeared and Kviff began a new golden age.

Over the past few decades, the festival has been known as the "Woodstock of the East" where Czech citizens flocked, often camping in tents beside the Tepra River and lined up for hours to watch provocative films from abroad. Train Investigationsee local works or glimpse the winners.

Bartoska becomes the face of the festival (Zaoralová prefers to stay behind the scenes), especially for people like Robert Redford (2005), Robert De Niro (2008), John Travolta (2013), Mel Gibson (2014), Mel Gibson (2014), Julianne Moore (2019), Michael Caine (20221), Russell Crowe (2014) (2014), Russell Crows (2014) greeted them when they arrived at the puppies, toasted them at formal suppers, and honored them at the festival’s black tie opening and closing ceremony. In recent years, he has received the same standing ovation as they did.

1998, 20 years later The shadow of the hot summer Winning the Crystal Ball of KVIFF and making Bartoska a star, he received a special award from Fest for director Vlácil, an outstanding contribution to the World Cinemas. "For me," Batosca later said, "the circle is finished." (Vlácil died less than a year later.)

Bartoska continued to take action in 2000. All my relatives. But in November 2014, at the age of 67, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He told the publication take: "I've been shooting the series And, my carpet About 10 days. Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable, so I went to the doctor for a checkup. I had an X-ray and I detected the cancer. ” Since then, the cancer has been treated but has recovered.

Bartoska continued to participate in the KVIFF, although he took a step back from his daily routine. In 2017, at the Czech Lion Awards, he won an honorary award for his unique contribution to Czech films. Czech President Petr Pavel presented him with a medal of merit in 2023. In March, he was one of his final public appearances at the Czech Lion Awards.

Bartoska's wife Andrea survived in 1976 with his wife Andrea and their children Katerina and Janek.

KVIFF version 59 will be held from July 4 to 12.

Mucha first met Bartoska in 1997 and began working on the festival in 2004. thrrepresenting himself and festival art director Karel Och: "I and Karel, who is in my twenties, gave us the opportunity to work with him. We will miss him so much. He is a very special person, he treats everyone the same way - he tells the president of the nation and a driver the same way - he is a great friend.