The 40th KarlovyInternational Film Festival got underway over the weekend with a flurry ofawards going to veteran filmmakers.

Saturday saw a Crystal Globego to Sharon Stone for outstanding contribution to world cinema. The actressalso presented a newly re-edited version of Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers.

"Jim Jarmusch was notsatisfied after the presentation of the film at Cannes and so he wanted to makea few slight improvements," festival programme director Julietta Zacharovasaid.

The festival also bestowed an award for outstanding contribution to world cinema on Robert Redford at theopening ceremony July 1. Redford thankedhis hosts and, later, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, whowas in attendance and whom he credited with helping arrange his invitation tothe festival.

Redford also praisedplaywright and former Czech President Vaclav Havel, who was among the manyCzech dignitaries at the opening ceremonies. The festival opened with a galascreening of George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidyand the Sundance Kid.

On Sunday, Liv Ullman alsoreceived an award for outstanding contribution to world cinema. The festival isscreening three films in her honour: Edvard Hambro's documentary Liv Ullmann: Scenes from a Life, An-Magritt and Kristin Lavransdatter.

Czech director Jiri Krejcikreceived a lifetime achievement award on Friday night. The director of morethan 30 films, including Higher Principleand The Divine Emma, described his work as "finished but not complete,"adding that his favourite films were "the films that were never made andstay only in my fantasies."

In business, distributorCinemart has picked up Chinaman forCzech distribution. The film, a Chinese-Danish co-production from directorHenrik Ruben Genz, is screening in competition in the festival's officialselection. Nordisk Film handles international sales.