A star studded jury confronted with a slate of second rate films in the international competition section (par for the course at Karlovy Vary because more important festivals gobble up the better films) had to sweat it out for five hours before arriving at their decisions on the main awards. The Grand jury composed of such luminaries as British actress Brenda Blethyn, Dutch star Johanna Ter Steege (The Vanishing), ace Hungarian-American camerman Vilmos Zsigmond, and presided over by Czech-Americ...

KARLOVY PRIZES ANNOUNCED: AND THE WINNERS WERE ...GRAND PRIX -- CRYSTAL GLOBE (20,000 USD CASH!)Surprisingly, to the American independent film "Sherrybaby" the feature debut of Laurie Collyer, 2005. Former drug addict Sherry (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is released from prison where she did time for robbery, and so on ... Considering that all the other main competition pictures were darkhorses as well, maybe this award is not so surprising. Too bad this festival doesn't have bookies and pari-mutuel bet...