International film festival opens in Czech Republic, honors Isabelle Huppert

October 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has said the Obama Administration's "smart power" strategy of engaging instead of confronting Iran is beginning to gain traction. "I think any progress has to be attributed to Obama's overall strategy.

September 26th, 2009 'City of Life and Death' wins Spanish film awardSAN SEBASTIAN, Spain — Chinese director Lu Chuan's film "City of Life and Death" has won the top prize at Spain's San Sebastian Film Festival. The movie, a sensitive and balanced depiction of a traumatic moment in China's history known as the Nanking Massacre, or the Rape of Nanking, deals with a six-week period in 1937-38 following the Japanese capture of the Chinese city of Nanking.

September 9th, 2009 Organizers unveiling London Film Festival lineupLONDON — Organizers are announcing the lineup for this year's London Film Festival. The two-week movie event is trying to raise its international profile, and more than a dozen world premieres are on its slate of 300 British and international films.

August 19th, 2009 Mexico's Inarritu to head Tokyo festival juryHONG KONG — "Babel" director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu will head the competition jury at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October. Organizers named the Mexican filmmaker the jury president in a statement on their official Web site.

August 12th, 2009 Romanian movie opens 15th Sarajevo Film FestivalSARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The 15th Sarajevo Film Festival kicks off Wednesday evening, bringing such Hollywood celebrities as Gillian Anderson and Mickey Rourke to an event born in a sandbag-protected basement during the Bosnian war. The Balkan region's most important film event now draws more than 100,000 people each year, a long way from its humble beginnings in a city roamed by snipers and blasted by mortar shells.

August 5th, 2009 Emily Blunt's 'Young Victoria' to end Toronto festTORONTO — Next month's Toronto International Film Festival is ending on a regal note. The closing-night film of the 10-day festival will be "The Young Victoria," starring Emily Blunt as the British queen in the early days of her nearly 64-year reign.

August 3rd, 2009 Reservations open Aug. 11 for Epcot Food & WineLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.

August 3rd, 2009 John Lennon biopic to close London Film FestivalLONDON — London Film Festival organizers say this year's event will close with the world premiere of a new film about John Lennon's formative years in Liverpool. "Nowhere Boy" depicts Lennon at age 15 and follows his relationship with his estranged mother, Julia, and with his Aunt Mimi, who raised him.

July 27th, 2009 Wes Anderson's 'Mr. Fox' to open London Film festLONDON — London Film Festival organizers say this year's event will open with the world premiere of Wes Anderson's animated feature "Fantastic Mr.

July 24th, 2009 LONDON - The Czech Republic has announced their withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest, citing lack of interest back home as being the reason for the decision. The country, which made its debut in 2007, came last with no points in one of the semi-finals in May, and its previous two attempts failed to reach the final, with rock band Kabat also coming last in the qualifying round two years ago.

June 22nd, 2009 Danish-Swedish drama best film at ShanghaiSHANGHAI — The Danish-Swedish drama "Original" won best picture at the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival, with its male lead Sverrir Gudnason named best actor for playing the soul-searching son of a mentally ill mother. Reading from the citation, jury president "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle called the debut feature film of Antonio Tublen and Alexander Brondsted "a light, touching and subversive study of mental illness that is both compassionate and never sentimental." Accepting his trophy, Gudnason, who plays a character who tries to stop pleasing others, yelled in delight and said, "This is the best thing that anyone has ever given to me and it's going to keep me going on." The jury said "this young actor's brilliant, sensitive, and humorous performance is absolutely mesmerizing." Simone Tang was named best actress for another Danish film, "Aching Hearts," about the relationship of two high school sweethearts.

May 13th, 2009 Stars gather for opening of Cannes Film FestivalCANNES, France — The evening gowns glittered, the red carpet was unfurled — and the 3-D glasses were at hand as the 62nd Cannes Film Festival opened Wednesday with the soaring animated adventure "Up." "Up'''s delighted filmmakers from Pixar Animation joined the crowd of stars and cineastes on the red carpet in this French Riviera resort and said being invited to Cannes was a dream come true. "We're just a bunch of animation geeks from northern California on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival," said a beaming John Lasseter, Pixar's creative maestro.

May 12th, 2009 Cannes chief says Sean Penn a hard act to followCANNES, France — The head of the Cannes Film Festival says Sean Penn is a hard act to follow. The Academy Award-winning actor served as the president of last year's Cannes jury, and festival director Thierry Fremaux says he'll be missed.

May 12th, 2009 Huppert follows Penn as Cannes jury presidentCANNES, France — The Cannes Film Festival faced a problem this year — how to replace passionate, attention-grabbing actor Sean Penn as jury president? For starters, organizers recruited a 2009 jury that includes actress Robin Wright Penn, who is in the midst of divorcing the Academy Award-winning "Milk" star. And as jury president, the festival opted for a French icon in Isabelle Huppert, who has starred in almost 100 films and twice won Cannes' best-actress prize.

May 8th, 2009 Popular art work in EU lobby coming down earlyBRUSSELS — An art work that created controversy by making fun of nations across Europe will be removed from EU headquarters by the Czech artist to protest the political upheaval in his own country. Installing grand artistic exhibits at the Justus Lipsius building, where EU ministers and heads of governments usually meet, is traditional for countries that take over the E.U.'s rotating presidency for six months.