Raymond Johnston

It is easy to walk past the ubiquitous plaques in the Czech capital that mark the victims and heroes of World War II and not notice them. But each May, on the anniversary of the Prague Uprising and the end of the war, the city districts that have inherited them — the duty had been in the hands of the Czech Union of Freedom Fighters (ČSBS) — make an effort to bring their memories to life again.

This year’s Days of European Film festival is bigger than last year’s, with highlights including Ralph Fiennes’s updated take on ‘Coriolanus,’ a dialogue-free look at the Balkan wars and a Danish costume drama shot on Czech locales. The European Commission’s annual topic, aging, has its own section, as do films that promote the EU goal of diversity.

New European cinema is finding itself at a crossroads, according to a panel of international filmmakers. Digital technology is making it easier to get films made, but the culture of going to see non-Hollywood films needs to be reinvigorated.  And there is still the question of just European cinema is.

While Prague does have historical links to Celtic tribes, nobody really needs an excuse to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, the celberation of the patron saint of the Emerald Isle. The 15th edition of the Irish Music Festival brings bands from abraod as well as local acts together for a four-day celebration highlighted by a day-long concert on Wenceslas Square.