Jan Hrebejk's newfilm Beauty InTrouble has been announced as the first competition film inthe Official Selection of the 41st Karlovy VaryInternational Film Festival.

Thefilm is produced by Ondrej Trojan, who also produced Hrebejk's 2001 Oscar nominee, Divided We Fall.

"Whenwe were writing the script for Beauty in Trouble, we were partlyinspired by the poem of the same name by Robert Graves," Czech director Hrebejk said. "It tells the story ofa beautiful girl who leaves her partner to live with her mother. The latter,however, lives with someone even worse and, the moment when all seems lost, shemeets a man who treats her like an angel and offers her analternative to her ruined life."

Thefilm's lead actress Ana Geislerova previously starredin Something LikeHappiness and Zelary.

The festival also announced that Czech actor Karel Roden, who has appeared in Hellboy, 15 Minutes, Blade II, and Shut UpAnd Shoot Me, will sit on its grand jury.

Czech New Wave director Jan Nemecwill receive Karlovy Vary's Crystal Globe for Outstanding ArtisticContribution to World Cinema. Nemec directed filmsincluding Diamonds of the Night, The Party and the Guests, and Toyen.

Karlovy Vary's popular East of the Westselection of films from Central and Eastern Europe -a competition section for the second year - will include Czech film TheIndian And The Nurse. DirectorDan Wlodarczyk makeshis debut with the tale of star-crossed lovers.

Upto 17 films will compete in both the Official Selection and East of the West. Karlovy Vary will name furthercompetition titles and jurors two weeks before the festival, which begins June30.

A Category-Afestival, Karlovy Vary is a key showcase forCentral and Eastern European film. Artistic director Eva Zaoralovaacknowledged that the festival is predominantly a filmgoers' event but saidindustry professionals were traditionally interested in the East of the Westsection. "People I know from other festivals say it's very good to come to Karlovy Vary because they can see filmswhich they missed in Cannes or in other festivals," shetold ScreenDaily.com.