- Title: Johnny Depp presents "Minamata" at Czech film festival
- Date: 28th August 2021
- Summary: KARLOVY VARY, CZECH REPUBLIC (AUGUST 28, 2021) (REUTERS) PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE MUNICIPAL THEATRE AT KARLOVY VARY SPA CROWDS AND CARS CROWDING STREET PEOPLE OUTSIDE THEATRE JOHNNY DEPP IMPERSONATOR DRESSED LIKE HIS CHARACTER FROM "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN" FRANCHISE DEPP WAVING FROM CAR WINDOW AS CROWDS CHEER ACTOR JOHNNY DEPP WALKING ONTO STAGE / CROWDS APPLAUDING AUDIENCE CLAPPING FROM BALCONY (SOUNDBITE) (English) "MINAMATA" ACTOR, JOHNNY DEPP, SAYING: "What you are about to see is a true story. I think it is as relevant today as it has ever been, because what exists in this film exists today still and things can be done about it. So, anyway, thank you for coming, thank you for being here, thank you for listening to me babble (LAUGHTER), especially way up there. Hi! (WAVES AT AUDIENCE/LAUGHTER) Love you (TO AUDIENCE MEMBER). Really hope you enjoy the film, I really hope you feel the film and, yeah, hope it makes you think. So, lots of love and lots of thanks to all of you." PEOPLE CLAPPING
- Embargoed: 11th September 2021 19:02
- Keywords: Cinema Czech Republic Film festival Johnny Depp Minamata Minamata starring Johnny Depp
- Location: KARLOVY VARY, CZECH REPUBLIC / VARIOUS FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: KARLOVY VARY, CZECH REPUBLIC / VARIOUS FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: Czech Republic
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA001ES71H6H
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Actor Johnny Depp on Saturday (August 28) presented the film Minamata to an excited crowd at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where he was the star attraction in the small Czech spa town.
A throng of people waited outside the municipal theatre in Karlovy Vary in anticipation of Depp's arrival.
Minamata, directed by Andrew Levitas, stars Depp as American photojournalist W. Eugene Smith.
Smith, who made his name as a World War Two photographer for "Life" magazine, was in decline and on the brink of suicide when activists enticed him to go to southern Japan to document the sufferings of the people of Minamata, Japan who had been poisoned by emissions from the town's chemical plant.
The film brings Depp together with a cast of Japanese actors, including Hiroyuki Sanada ("The Last Samurai") and Minami - she uses just the one name - who plays Aileen, the activist who enticed Smith to take on one final story and who later became the photographer's wife.
Women's charities, including British-based Women's Aid, have criticised festival organisers for inviting Depp, saying his appearance at this and other events minimises the seriousness of domestic violence and the suffering of its victims.
The 58-year-old actor lost a libel battle in November 2020 with a British tabloid that labelled him a "wife beater," after a London High Court judge ruled that he had repeatedly assaulted actor Amber Heard during their relationship and put her in fear for her life. Johnny Depp has been refused permission to appeal.
The Czech festival has said it would not issue a comment about Depp's appearance, adding they had invited the actor as a "distinguished filmmaker".
(Production: Jiri Skacel / Karolina Bohacova) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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