KARLOVY VARY, Czech Rep. — Richard Gere struck a political note at Friday’s opening of the 50th edition of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, where he received an award. Gere paid tribute to the Dalai Lama, while also taking a side-swipe at China. Gere, who received the festival’s Crystal Globe for outstanding contribution to world cinema, mentioned that as well as being Karlovy Vary’s anniversary, this year marked the 80th birthday, on July 6, of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. Gere congratulated the Czech people on having a former president like the late Vaclav Havel, who had welcomed the Dalai Lama to his country when many other political leaders had not done so for fear of upsetting China, which controls Tibet.

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