Compact archive August 27, 2007

A new proposal of the criminal code in the Czech Republic brings a new attitude to soft drugs: it intends to reduce the penalty for those, who raise marijuana or other plants containing psychoactive substances.

At the present time, the Czech criminal code doesn´t make a difference between soft and hard drugs. The new proposal aims to differ between them according to their dangerousness.

Raising hemp in “smaller than large amount” might be even non-punishable. The concrete amount would be stated by a government decree then.

Stummfest is not an ordinary film festival: it presents exclusively black-and-white silent movies, some of them rarely screened, accompanied by music. You can see not just Czech, but also German films from the beginning of cinematography there. It is an open-air festival, taking place in the courtyard of the Klub v Jeleni in Prague.

The theme of this year´s Stummfest is “love and crime”. During 3 days, you can see 12 movies there, for example the oldest film shots of Prague by Jan Krizenecky from 1898 – 1908, one of the oldest German puppet films Die grosse Liebe einer kleinen Tänzerin from 1924, or the classic Czech movie Erotikon from 1929.

Stummfest is a noncommercial event, there is no entrance fee. But you can contribute some money, which will go to the charity Pomozte detem! (“Help the children!”). It helps all the children in the Czech Republic, which are in danger or in a bad situation.

Stummfest lasts from 30 ^th August to 1 ^st September. The programme starts at 6 pm. Klub v Jeleni is situated close to the Prague Castle, in Jeleni Street 196 / 15, Prague 1.

The summer holidays will end soon and that means, that Prague´s trams, buses and metro will run more often. But not just that, they will be also more crowded: there will be more people on their way to work or school. The situation is complicated by the continuing tram service disruption at the Palackeho Square.

The service disruption will end in October, but another one will follow: the crossing at the Charles Square will be repaired, so the trams won´t run there till the 21st December. Because of that, it is expected, that the B line of metro will be overcrowded in peak hours. Passengers are therefore advised to rather use trams in the area.

On the other hand, the long-term service disruption of the busy D1 motorway should be finished next week.

Catchy rhythms will sound from the “First Prague´s Beach” in Smichov tomorrow. There will be a concert of Gipsy.cz, the popular Czech band, combining hip hop with Romany music and pop. The band will also introduce its new video there.

Gipsy.cz are successful both in the Czech Republic and abroad: it is the first Czech band, which has ever played on the famous Glastonbury festival in the UK.

The show by the river Vltava will start at 6 pm, the admission is 150,- CZK. The First Prague´s Beach (1. Prazska plaz) is situated on the left bank of the Vltava river, between Palackeho bridge and Zeleznicni (Railway) bridge, next to the botel Admiral.

Lovers of classical music can visit the international festival of young musicians, called “Young Prague” (Mlada Praha), which has started yesterday.

The festival takes place at various attractive venues in Prague: in the Waldstein Palace and Waldstein Garden, in the Villa Bertramka, in the Dvorak Hall in Rudolfinum and other places. The musicians are mostly from the Czech Republic, Japan or Russia.

You can hear for example compositions by W. A. Mozart or Antonin Dvorak at the festival Young Prague. It lasts from 26 ^th August to 11 ^th September. Tickets are available at Ticketpro, BTI, Via Musica and at the venues, 1 hour before a concert starts. Information centre of the festival is in the Hungarian cultural center, Rytirska Street 25, Prague 1.