Helen Mirren wins award as Czech film festival opens

British actress Helen Mirren added a "crystal globe" to her collection of awards Friday as the Czech Republic's Karlovy Vary international film festival opened for its 47th edition. The festival's jury will consider 12 films and announce a grand-prize winner at its closing ceremony, when actress Susan Sarandon will also grace the red carpet in the spa town of Karlovy Vary. Mirren, who won an Oscar for her role in the 2006 film "The Queen", received the festival's crystal globe award for her contributions to world cinema. Czech President Vaclav Klaus also attended the opening ceremony. Some 220 films including documentaries and dozens of short films will be screened during the festival, 22 of them making their world premiere. The jury is led by Richard Pena, programme director at New York's prestigious Film Society of Lincoln Center.