French director Olivier Marchal has begun filming new police thriller Bastion 36 for Netflix, which is billed as a contemporary cop drama adapted from Michel Tourscher’s novel Flic Requiem.
Set in Paris, the movie revolves around Antoine Cerda, a senior police officer with the prestigious Investigation and Intervention Brigade, who is transferred to the Anti-Crime Brigade after being sanctioned by the General Inspectorate of the French National Police. The move sees him turn his back on his former comrades and unit, led by the charismatic Sami Belkaïm.
When two officers from his old squad are killed in less than 24 hours and a third goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Cerda embarks on his own investigation. His inquiries will reveal an intense police rivalry and take him on a terrible downward spiral.
The movie is not a sequel but takes the director back to the world of Marchal’s 2004 police thriller Precinct...
Set in Paris, the movie revolves around Antoine Cerda, a senior police officer with the prestigious Investigation and Intervention Brigade, who is transferred to the Anti-Crime Brigade after being sanctioned by the General Inspectorate of the French National Police. The move sees him turn his back on his former comrades and unit, led by the charismatic Sami Belkaïm.
When two officers from his old squad are killed in less than 24 hours and a third goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Cerda embarks on his own investigation. His inquiries will reveal an intense police rivalry and take him on a terrible downward spiral.
The movie is not a sequel but takes the director back to the world of Marchal’s 2004 police thriller Precinct...
- 4/25/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Signage at the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, CA.
Once again, it was time for our favorite film festival, the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival, and as usual, the Stars were shining brightly!
Movie lovers from around the globe descended upon Hollywood for the 15th edition of the festival, which took place Thursday, April 18 – Sunday, April 21. Over four packed days and nights, fans were treated to a lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions.
There were quite a few big-name notables, both on the red carpet and introducing some of our favorite classic films.
Thursday’s opening night gala was a stunner, with the 30th anniversary screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994). Many of the iconic film’s stars walked the red carpet for a reunion that included John Travolta, Samuel Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Harvey Keitel.
This set the...
Once again, it was time for our favorite film festival, the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival, and as usual, the Stars were shining brightly!
Movie lovers from around the globe descended upon Hollywood for the 15th edition of the festival, which took place Thursday, April 18 – Sunday, April 21. Over four packed days and nights, fans were treated to a lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions.
There were quite a few big-name notables, both on the red carpet and introducing some of our favorite classic films.
Thursday’s opening night gala was a stunner, with the 30th anniversary screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994). Many of the iconic film’s stars walked the red carpet for a reunion that included John Travolta, Samuel Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Harvey Keitel.
This set the...
- 4/24/2024
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Known in France as a giant of modernist sculpture, to the rest of the world Camille Claudel is mainly remembered as Auguste Rodin’s lover.
Her tragic life, which included spending the last decades of her life in an asylum, has been immortalized on film by Isabelle Adjani opposite Gerard Depardieu in 1988’s Camille Claudel, and again by Juliette Binoche in 2013’s Camille Claudel 1915. A student, model, muse and lover to Rodin who blossomed into his rival, she produced artwork every bit as radical and expressive as his. And now — on view at the Getty through July 21 — is the first North American show in more than 30 years focusing solely on her work, including roughly 60 pieces.
The star of the show (seen first in the U.S. at the Art Institute of Chicago) is The Mature Age along with several iterations of her signature piece, The Waltz. Portraits in bronze or marble are plentiful too,...
Her tragic life, which included spending the last decades of her life in an asylum, has been immortalized on film by Isabelle Adjani opposite Gerard Depardieu in 1988’s Camille Claudel, and again by Juliette Binoche in 2013’s Camille Claudel 1915. A student, model, muse and lover to Rodin who blossomed into his rival, she produced artwork every bit as radical and expressive as his. And now — on view at the Getty through July 21 — is the first North American show in more than 30 years focusing solely on her work, including roughly 60 pieces.
The star of the show (seen first in the U.S. at the Art Institute of Chicago) is The Mature Age along with several iterations of her signature piece, The Waltz. Portraits in bronze or marble are plentiful too,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Jordan Riefe
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Six months after world-premiering to poor reviews at the Venice Film Festival, Roman Polanski’s latest film “The Palace” has been acquired by a French distribution company, Swashbuckler Films.
The Paris-based banner, which specializes in classic movies, is hoping to release “The Palace” on May 15. The company’s owner, Sebastien Tiveyrat, told Variety he hasn’t yet obtained the exhibition visa from the National Film Board and hasn’t started contacting exhibitors in France to book theaters.
Although Polanski’s inclusion at the Venice festival sparked a controversy due to the fact that he’s still currently facing sexual assault allegations, “The Palace” sold across many territories, including Germany, Russia, Hungary, Estonia, Bulgaria and French-speaking Switzerland where it came out between September and January. The black comedy will next open in Portugal on April 4. Goodfellas handles international sales on the movie.
“The Palace” takes place during New Year’s Eve...
The Paris-based banner, which specializes in classic movies, is hoping to release “The Palace” on May 15. The company’s owner, Sebastien Tiveyrat, told Variety he hasn’t yet obtained the exhibition visa from the National Film Board and hasn’t started contacting exhibitors in France to book theaters.
Although Polanski’s inclusion at the Venice festival sparked a controversy due to the fact that he’s still currently facing sexual assault allegations, “The Palace” sold across many territories, including Germany, Russia, Hungary, Estonia, Bulgaria and French-speaking Switzerland where it came out between September and January. The black comedy will next open in Portugal on April 4. Goodfellas handles international sales on the movie.
“The Palace” takes place during New Year’s Eve...
- 3/26/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Last year, Australian filmmaker Peter Weir was given an honorary Oscar for having “illuminated the human experience with his unique and expansive body of work.” Sadly, it’s now official that his filmography is complete, as Weir confirmed during an appearance at the Festival de la Cinémathèque in Paris that he has retired from directing.
Télérama reported (and IndieWire was kind enough to translate their report) that Weir was asked why 14 years have gone by since his last movie. Weir replied, “I am retired. Why did I stop cinema? Because, quite simply, I have no more energy.“
Born in 1944, Weir got his career started in television back in the 1960s, working on the TV projects The Life and Times of the Reverend Buck Shotte and Man on a Green Bike. After contributing a segment to the anthology film Three to Go, he made the 50 minute movie Homesdale and the documentary Whatever Happened to Green Valley?...
Télérama reported (and IndieWire was kind enough to translate their report) that Weir was asked why 14 years have gone by since his last movie. Weir replied, “I am retired. Why did I stop cinema? Because, quite simply, I have no more energy.“
Born in 1944, Weir got his career started in television back in the 1960s, working on the TV projects The Life and Times of the Reverend Buck Shotte and Man on a Green Bike. After contributing a segment to the anthology film Three to Go, he made the 50 minute movie Homesdale and the documentary Whatever Happened to Green Valley?...
- 3/18/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Peter Weir has directed some of the most acclaimed blockbusters of the last half century, often straddling the line between art and commerce with studio hits like “The Truman Show” and “Dead Poets Society.” But while the Australian director has not made a movie since the 2010 drama “The Way Back,” fans have held out hope that Weir might find his way back into the director’s chair — perhaps on the “Master and Commander” sequel that Russell Crowe has openly lobbied to make. But it now appears that Weir has officially walked away from filmmaking for good.
Appearing at the Festival de la Cinémathèque in Paris (via Télérama), Weir gave a blunt update on his filmmaking career that should squash any hopes that the 79-year-old director has another movie in him.
“I am retired,” Weir said when asked about his 14 year hiatus from filmmaking. “Why did I stop cinema? Because, quite simply,...
Appearing at the Festival de la Cinémathèque in Paris (via Télérama), Weir gave a blunt update on his filmmaking career that should squash any hopes that the 79-year-old director has another movie in him.
“I am retired,” Weir said when asked about his 14 year hiatus from filmmaking. “Why did I stop cinema? Because, quite simply,...
- 3/17/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
This time last year, Katja Cahill was taking a break pre-Oscars to visit “Banshees of Inisherin” breakout Jenny the Miniature Donkey — and her date (!!) — in a livestock trailer outside the Dolby.
“That was the best part of my Oscars, just getting to go hang out in the donkey trailer,” Cahill told IndieWire. “And donkeys have support donkeys too, so there were two donkeys there.” A frequent Oscars contributor, the costume designer crafted a glittering gold vest she described as a “blinged-out service animal jacket” for Jenny to wear on stage.
At the 96th Academy Awards, the self-professed animal lover once again brought her artistry to an attendee of a different species. Cahill dressed “Anatomy of a Fall” scene-stealer Messi the dog — who played Snoop for director Justine Triet’s Best Picture nominee and Best Original Screenplay winner (co-written with Arthur Harari) — in an oversized bow tie.
“[Messi] was the cutest dog...
“That was the best part of my Oscars, just getting to go hang out in the donkey trailer,” Cahill told IndieWire. “And donkeys have support donkeys too, so there were two donkeys there.” A frequent Oscars contributor, the costume designer crafted a glittering gold vest she described as a “blinged-out service animal jacket” for Jenny to wear on stage.
At the 96th Academy Awards, the self-professed animal lover once again brought her artistry to an attendee of a different species. Cahill dressed “Anatomy of a Fall” scene-stealer Messi the dog — who played Snoop for director Justine Triet’s Best Picture nominee and Best Original Screenplay winner (co-written with Arthur Harari) — in an oversized bow tie.
“[Messi] was the cutest dog...
- 3/12/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
As he takes the stage at the 96th Academy Awards for a fourth time, Jimmy Kimmel once again took a playful quip at the Oscar winner Matt Damon. The talk show host and the Hollywood star’s fake feud has been ongoing for years, with Kimmel even poking fun at the Oppenheimer actor in his promo for the 2024 Oscars. And he took things to the next level with the help of the Anatomy of a Fall star, Messi the Dog, who took a piss at Damon’s Walk of Fame Star at the Oscars.
Jimmy Kimmel at the 2024 Oscars (image via ABC News | Youtube) Jimmy Kimmel And Messi the Dog Join Hands Against Matt Damon
Jimmy Kimmel has found a partner in Messi the Dog to roast his long-time rival Matt Damon at the 96th Academy Awards. The Anatomy of a Fall star, who has become a fan favorite, joined...
Jimmy Kimmel at the 2024 Oscars (image via ABC News | Youtube) Jimmy Kimmel And Messi the Dog Join Hands Against Matt Damon
Jimmy Kimmel has found a partner in Messi the Dog to roast his long-time rival Matt Damon at the 96th Academy Awards. The Anatomy of a Fall star, who has become a fan favorite, joined...
- 3/11/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
Messi the dog, a breakout star of the 2024 awards season, wrapped the season in style at the 96th Academy Awards.
The 7-year-old border collie from Anatomy of a Fall in his formal best, wearing a stylish bowtie, made it to the Dolby Theater where he got prime seating in the front alongside the top human stars of the evening.
The camera of the Oscar telecast turned to Messi when he got a shoutout from host Jimmy Kimmel in his opening monologue.
“I haven’t seen a French actor eat vomit like that since Gérard Depardieu,” Kimmel said amid awwws from the audience as Messi hit his mark with an impeccable close-up.
Kimmel earlier in the day used Messi as a sounding board as he tested jokes on him.
Anatomy of a Fall earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. It was an early winner with Justine Triet and Arthur Harari...
The 7-year-old border collie from Anatomy of a Fall in his formal best, wearing a stylish bowtie, made it to the Dolby Theater where he got prime seating in the front alongside the top human stars of the evening.
The camera of the Oscar telecast turned to Messi when he got a shoutout from host Jimmy Kimmel in his opening monologue.
“I haven’t seen a French actor eat vomit like that since Gérard Depardieu,” Kimmel said amid awwws from the audience as Messi hit his mark with an impeccable close-up.
Kimmel earlier in the day used Messi as a sounding board as he tested jokes on him.
Anatomy of a Fall earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. It was an early winner with Justine Triet and Arthur Harari...
- 3/11/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Jimmy Kimmel is back as the Academy Awards host for the fourth time, and his opening monologue at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 10 left few in the Oscars audience unscathed.
Kimmel started his opening bit by roasting the Academy for the controversial snubs for “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie. “‘Barbie’ was a monster hit. What an achievement to take a plastic doll nobody even liked anymore. Before this movie, you had a better chance of getting my wife to buy our daughter a pack of Marlboro Reds than a Barbie doll. Now, Barbie’s a feminist icon thanks to Greta Gerwig, who many believed deserved to be nominated for Best Director. I know you’re clapping, but you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her, by the way. Don’t act like you had nothing to do with this.”
He then called out “Barbie...
Kimmel started his opening bit by roasting the Academy for the controversial snubs for “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie. “‘Barbie’ was a monster hit. What an achievement to take a plastic doll nobody even liked anymore. Before this movie, you had a better chance of getting my wife to buy our daughter a pack of Marlboro Reds than a Barbie doll. Now, Barbie’s a feminist icon thanks to Greta Gerwig, who many believed deserved to be nominated for Best Director. I know you’re clapping, but you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her, by the way. Don’t act like you had nothing to do with this.”
He then called out “Barbie...
- 3/10/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Jimmy Kimmel left his usual late-night beefs off the Oscar stage tonight, ignoring Trump, Santos, Aaron Rodgers to focus entirely on Hollywood’s big night, with only one not-so-veiled political jab included in a mostly gentle opening segment.
In a very brief pre-taped bit that had Kimmel telling Barbie that he hadn’t eaten in three weeks, the fourth-time Oscar host began his monologue by noting that the ABC broadcast — which started an hour earlier than usual — was already running five minutes behind schedule (true). Not to worry, he added, “We’ll still end very, very late.”
The comedian took an early swipe at flop Madame Web, saying, “This night is full of enormous talent, and untold potential, but so was Madame Web.”
Kimmel also got in an early swipe at the classic Mattel doll that spawned this year’s blockbuster, saying that his wife, until Barbie, was less likely...
In a very brief pre-taped bit that had Kimmel telling Barbie that he hadn’t eaten in three weeks, the fourth-time Oscar host began his monologue by noting that the ABC broadcast — which started an hour earlier than usual — was already running five minutes behind schedule (true). Not to worry, he added, “We’ll still end very, very late.”
The comedian took an early swipe at flop Madame Web, saying, “This night is full of enormous talent, and untold potential, but so was Madame Web.”
Kimmel also got in an early swipe at the classic Mattel doll that spawned this year’s blockbuster, saying that his wife, until Barbie, was less likely...
- 3/10/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Jimmy Kimmel didn’t pull any punches in his opening Oscars monologue, poking fun at several Hollywood hot topics during Sunday’s ceremony.
Kimmel, who is hosting for the fourth time, congratulated the audience for “making it on time. The show is starting an hour early this year, but it will go very, very late. We’re already five minutes late, and I’m not even joking,” he said.
The comedian poked fun at the recent box office bomb “Madame Web” near the top of the monologue, saying, “It was also a great year for movies, despite the fact that everything stopped. The people in this room somehow managed to come up with so many excellent films and memorable performances. This night is full of enormous talent, and untold potential, but so was ‘Madame Web.'”
He also joked about “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig not getting a best director nod,...
Kimmel, who is hosting for the fourth time, congratulated the audience for “making it on time. The show is starting an hour early this year, but it will go very, very late. We’re already five minutes late, and I’m not even joking,” he said.
The comedian poked fun at the recent box office bomb “Madame Web” near the top of the monologue, saying, “It was also a great year for movies, despite the fact that everything stopped. The people in this room somehow managed to come up with so many excellent films and memorable performances. This night is full of enormous talent, and untold potential, but so was ‘Madame Web.'”
He also joked about “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig not getting a best director nod,...
- 3/10/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Ang Lee who is known for his work on Marvel’s Hulk, directed 2012’s adventure drama film Life of Pi, based on Yann Martel’s 2001 novel of the same name. The movie starred debutant Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Rafe Spall, Adil Hussain, and Gérard Depardieu in significant roles. The story follows two survivors of a shipwreck who are on a lifeboat stranded in the Pacific Ocean for 227 days.
Upon its release, the movie received critical acclaim with an appreciation for Lee’s direction, screenplay, music, visual effects, and cinematography. The movie was nominated for eleven awards at the 85th annual Academy Awards and managed to win four out of them. Ahead of the 96th Academy Awards, a comment from a veteran cinematographer about Life of Pi has resurfaced on the Internet.
Life of Pi Christopher Doyle’s strong opinions on Ang Lee’s Life of Pi winning Best Cinematography...
Upon its release, the movie received critical acclaim with an appreciation for Lee’s direction, screenplay, music, visual effects, and cinematography. The movie was nominated for eleven awards at the 85th annual Academy Awards and managed to win four out of them. Ahead of the 96th Academy Awards, a comment from a veteran cinematographer about Life of Pi has resurfaced on the Internet.
Life of Pi Christopher Doyle’s strong opinions on Ang Lee’s Life of Pi winning Best Cinematography...
- 3/10/2024
- by Avneet Ahluwalia
- FandomWire
Dominique Boutonnat, president of France’s Cnc, will stand trial for alleged sexual assault on June 14, the French court of Nanterre has confirmed.
The case dates back to February of 2021 when Boutonnat was indicted for “tentative of rape” of his godson during a family holiday in Greece stemming from a complaint filed in 2020. The court has since decreased the charge to attempted sexual assault. He continues to strongly deny the accusations. When contacted by Screen, the Cnc would not comment on the situation.
Boutonnat, one of the most powerful figures in French cinema, remains in his position and the pending...
The case dates back to February of 2021 when Boutonnat was indicted for “tentative of rape” of his godson during a family holiday in Greece stemming from a complaint filed in 2020. The court has since decreased the charge to attempted sexual assault. He continues to strongly deny the accusations. When contacted by Screen, the Cnc would not comment on the situation.
Boutonnat, one of the most powerful figures in French cinema, remains in his position and the pending...
- 3/7/2024
- ScreenDaily
Dominique Boutonnat, the president of France’s National Film Board, the Cnc, will go to court this summer to be tried for the alleged sexual assault of his godson, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The public prosecutor’s office in Nanterre, a prefecture in the western suburbs of Paris, has set a trial date for June 14.
Boutonnat is accused of assaulting his godson in August of 2020 when the latter was 21 years old, as reported by French news service Afp. The younger man accused Boutonnat, who is his godfather but with whom he has no family ties, of non-consensual touching and trying to fellate him against his will. Boutonnat denies all charges.
Boutonnat was indicted in Feb. 2021 for the alleged assault but it has taken more than two years to set a start date for the trial. The June start date means the trial will kick off just after this year...
The public prosecutor’s office in Nanterre, a prefecture in the western suburbs of Paris, has set a trial date for June 14.
Boutonnat is accused of assaulting his godson in August of 2020 when the latter was 21 years old, as reported by French news service Afp. The younger man accused Boutonnat, who is his godfather but with whom he has no family ties, of non-consensual touching and trying to fellate him against his will. Boutonnat denies all charges.
Boutonnat was indicted in Feb. 2021 for the alleged assault but it has taken more than two years to set a start date for the trial. The June start date means the trial will kick off just after this year...
- 3/6/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dominique Boutonnat, the president of the National Film Board (Cnc), the country’s most powerful film institution, will stand trial for alleged sexual assault starting on June 14, Variety has confirmed.
Boutonnat was indicted in February 2021 for the alleged sexual assault of his 22-year-old godson in 2020. It took over two years for the Nanterre Court to set a start date for the trial, which will kick off after the upcoming edition of the Cannes Film Festival. The information was first reported by the online publication “L’Informé.”
When contacted by Variety, the Cnc declined to comment. It’s unknown whether Boutonnat, whose term ends in 2025, will remain in post during the trial.
The National Film Board plays a crucial role in allocating subsidies to French TV and film producers, establishing selection committees and boards, as well as setting guidelines for the whole industry.
In spite of the indictment, Boutonnat was appointed...
Boutonnat was indicted in February 2021 for the alleged sexual assault of his 22-year-old godson in 2020. It took over two years for the Nanterre Court to set a start date for the trial, which will kick off after the upcoming edition of the Cannes Film Festival. The information was first reported by the online publication “L’Informé.”
When contacted by Variety, the Cnc declined to comment. It’s unknown whether Boutonnat, whose term ends in 2025, will remain in post during the trial.
The National Film Board plays a crucial role in allocating subsidies to French TV and film producers, establishing selection committees and boards, as well as setting guidelines for the whole industry.
In spite of the indictment, Boutonnat was appointed...
- 3/6/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Judith Godrèche is burning down the house. Her hope is that something better will emerge from the ashes.
In recent weeks, the French actress and director, a three-time César nominee known for starring in English and French-language hits including The Man In The Iron Mask, The Spanish Apartment and Potiche, has taken a match to a culture of silence and denial within France’s cinema world when it comes to sexual abuse. In her first trade interview, she talks to Deadline about her experiences, the motivation behind her campaign and what she hopes to achieve.
At the heart of Godrèche’s mission is the relationship she had with director Benoît Jacquot in the late 1980s, which began when she was only 14 years old, and he was 39. The minimum age of consent in France is 15.
Godrèche, now 51, lived with Jacquot for six years and appeared in his films The Beggars and The Disenchanted,...
In recent weeks, the French actress and director, a three-time César nominee known for starring in English and French-language hits including The Man In The Iron Mask, The Spanish Apartment and Potiche, has taken a match to a culture of silence and denial within France’s cinema world when it comes to sexual abuse. In her first trade interview, she talks to Deadline about her experiences, the motivation behind her campaign and what she hopes to achieve.
At the heart of Godrèche’s mission is the relationship she had with director Benoît Jacquot in the late 1980s, which began when she was only 14 years old, and he was 39. The minimum age of consent in France is 15.
Godrèche, now 51, lived with Jacquot for six years and appeared in his films The Beggars and The Disenchanted,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind docuseries “The Staircase,” has once again struck a chord with “Samber,” a limited series about a French serial rapist that explores the damages of sexual violence against women and children.
“Samber,” a six-part thriller series directed by de Lestrade, charts the true case of Dino Scala, a seemingly ordinary family man who sexually assaulted and raped more than 50 women and minors over three decades in Northeastern France. In spite of several victims filing complaints, Scala was able to slip through the cracks of France’s judicial system and benefited from a complacent stance toward sexual abuses. He was eventually arrested in February 2018 and found guilty of 17 rapes, 12 attempted rapes and 27 sexual assaults or attempts. In June 2022, Scala was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Represented in international markets by Federation Studios, the six-part series has captured the zeitgeist in France, which is undergoing a...
“Samber,” a six-part thriller series directed by de Lestrade, charts the true case of Dino Scala, a seemingly ordinary family man who sexually assaulted and raped more than 50 women and minors over three decades in Northeastern France. In spite of several victims filing complaints, Scala was able to slip through the cracks of France’s judicial system and benefited from a complacent stance toward sexual abuses. He was eventually arrested in February 2018 and found guilty of 17 rapes, 12 attempted rapes and 27 sexual assaults or attempts. In June 2022, Scala was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Represented in international markets by Federation Studios, the six-part series has captured the zeitgeist in France, which is undergoing a...
- 2/26/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Woman is latest to accuse actor and allegation is the second from the shooting of 2022 film Les Volets Verts
The French actor Gérard Depardieu, who is under investigation for alleged rape, is facing another accusation of sexual assault.
A set designer has filed a legal complaint against the actor claiming he sexually harassed and assaulted her on a film set in 2021.
The French actor Gérard Depardieu, who is under investigation for alleged rape, is facing another accusation of sexual assault.
A set designer has filed a legal complaint against the actor claiming he sexually harassed and assaulted her on a film set in 2021.
- 2/26/2024
- by Kim Willsher in Paris
- The Guardian - Film News
Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall won Best Film and Best Director at the 49th edition of the French César awards Friday.
Triet is only the second women to clinch the Best Director prize in the near 50-year history of the César Awards, after Tonie Marshall for Venus Beauty in 1976.
The director took to the stage with her producers Marie-Ange Luciani at Les Films de Pierre and David Thion at Les Films Pelléas.
Luciani suggested the Best Film honor, which is voted on by the some 4,600 members of the César Academy, was a sign of solidarity for the film and Triet in the light of her controversial Cannes d’Or acceptance speech which provoked a political backlash after she criticized the attitude of Emmanuel Macron’s government towards culture and cinema.
“After Justine’s speech in Cannes and the lively debate she provoked we’d like to say this...
Triet is only the second women to clinch the Best Director prize in the near 50-year history of the César Awards, after Tonie Marshall for Venus Beauty in 1976.
The director took to the stage with her producers Marie-Ange Luciani at Les Films de Pierre and David Thion at Les Films Pelléas.
Luciani suggested the Best Film honor, which is voted on by the some 4,600 members of the César Academy, was a sign of solidarity for the film and Triet in the light of her controversial Cannes d’Or acceptance speech which provoked a political backlash after she criticized the attitude of Emmanuel Macron’s government towards culture and cinema.
“After Justine’s speech in Cannes and the lively debate she provoked we’d like to say this...
- 2/23/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Actress and director Judith Godrèche made an appeal at the French César Awards on Friday for a new era of truth around the issue of sexual abuse and harassment in France’s cinema world after decades of silence and denial.
“For some time now, voices have been unleashed, the idealized image of our fathers has been shattered, power almost seems to be in a state of turmoil, could it be possible for us to look at the truth in the eye?,” she said in scheduled address.
“To take on our responsibilities? To be actors, actresses of a world that is questioning itself?, “ she asked. “For some time now, I’ve been talking and talking, but I can’t hear you, or only a little. Where are you? What are you saying? A whisper. Half a word.”
Her appearance at the César ceremony comes three weeks after the actress filed an...
“For some time now, voices have been unleashed, the idealized image of our fathers has been shattered, power almost seems to be in a state of turmoil, could it be possible for us to look at the truth in the eye?,” she said in scheduled address.
“To take on our responsibilities? To be actors, actresses of a world that is questioning itself?, “ she asked. “For some time now, I’ve been talking and talking, but I can’t hear you, or only a little. Where are you? What are you saying? A whisper. Half a word.”
Her appearance at the César ceremony comes three weeks after the actress filed an...
- 2/23/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
New Wave of Accusations Ignites MeToo Reckoning in France: ‘Women Are Fed Up. The Anger Is Enormous’
France’s film industry is undergoing a new MeToo reckoning, dominating news cycles, policy debates and even the goodie bag of the Cesar Awards’ nominees dinner, which included a flyer headlined, “The cultural sector together against sexist and sexual violence.”
The French #MeToo movement also made its way into the Berlinale, where actor Nora Hamzawi said that director Jacques Doillon’s upcoming film “Third Grade” — in which Hamzawi stars — shouldn’t be released due to the sexual misconduct allegations recently filed against the filmmkaker.
France’s major producers guilds have also issued a statement demanding the National Film Board (Cnc) and the Minister of Culture to put specific guidelines in place. Those demands include the appointment of “experts specialized in the prevention and management of sexual violence to set up a safe environment at the start of every shoot;” additional resources for organizations fighting sexual misconduct; and setting up an...
The French #MeToo movement also made its way into the Berlinale, where actor Nora Hamzawi said that director Jacques Doillon’s upcoming film “Third Grade” — in which Hamzawi stars — shouldn’t be released due to the sexual misconduct allegations recently filed against the filmmkaker.
France’s major producers guilds have also issued a statement demanding the National Film Board (Cnc) and the Minister of Culture to put specific guidelines in place. Those demands include the appointment of “experts specialized in the prevention and management of sexual violence to set up a safe environment at the start of every shoot;” additional resources for organizations fighting sexual misconduct; and setting up an...
- 2/22/2024
- by Ben Croll and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Davis Simanis’s period drama Marijas Klusums (Maria’s Silence) centers on a real-life silent movie star in Soviet-era Russia, Maria Leiko, who thought she was untouchable when tricked into moving to Moscow in 1937, only to be murdered a year later by Stalin’s secret police.
And the Latvian film director — who is no stranger to actors — sees parallels between Leiko in Stalin’s Russia and Hollywood and foreign celebrities who became high-profile friends in more recent times with Vladimir Putin, until some of them broke with the Russian leader after he invaded Ukraine two years ago.
“They know how to pretend, they know how to play characters. So if a regime gives you a role, that role sometimes becomes you in a way,” Simanis says of buddies of Putin, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other autocrats around the world for whom make-believe comes easy as entertainers.
And the Latvian film director — who is no stranger to actors — sees parallels between Leiko in Stalin’s Russia and Hollywood and foreign celebrities who became high-profile friends in more recent times with Vladimir Putin, until some of them broke with the Russian leader after he invaded Ukraine two years ago.
“They know how to pretend, they know how to play characters. So if a regime gives you a role, that role sometimes becomes you in a way,” Simanis says of buddies of Putin, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other autocrats around the world for whom make-believe comes easy as entertainers.
- 2/16/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It was never Suzy Bemba’s plan to become a professional actress. This year’s European Shooting Star from France had dabbled in performance — “10 years of ballet, maybe six years of singing classes,” she recalls. After a knee injury made it impossible to keep dancing, she switched to acting as “a new way of expression” and started trying out for open auditions, driving with her mother the two and half hours into Paris from their home in the French countryside. Her mother sent out inquiries to French talent agencies, and one agreed to sign Bemba after she graduated high school.
But when Bemba graduated, acting was the last thing on her mind. “I wanted to go to med school, that was always the dream, so when I graduated, that’s what I did,” she says. “I kind of forgot about the idea of acting.”
It was only after her freshman...
But when Bemba graduated, acting was the last thing on her mind. “I wanted to go to med school, that was always the dream, so when I graduated, that’s what I did,” she says. “I kind of forgot about the idea of acting.”
It was only after her freshman...
- 2/16/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actress, director and writer Karine Silla has spoken out in defense of former partner Gérard Depardieu, with whom she has a 31-year-old daughter.
The actor, who was indicted for rape in 2021, has been at the heart of a media storm in France in recent weeks following the broadcast of a France Télévisions documentary probing multiple historic accusations of sexual misconduct against the actor.
Silla, who is the sister of Luc Besson’s wife Virginie Besson-Silla and is now married to actor Vincent Perez, told celebrity magazine Paris Match that she felt compelled to break her silence over the treatment of Depardieu.
“I thought long and hard before speaking out because, as we know, it is difficult for a surgeon to operate on his own child or for a judge to conduct a fair trial if the accused is a member of his family,” she said.
“Gérard Depardieu is a man...
The actor, who was indicted for rape in 2021, has been at the heart of a media storm in France in recent weeks following the broadcast of a France Télévisions documentary probing multiple historic accusations of sexual misconduct against the actor.
Silla, who is the sister of Luc Besson’s wife Virginie Besson-Silla and is now married to actor Vincent Perez, told celebrity magazine Paris Match that she felt compelled to break her silence over the treatment of Depardieu.
“I thought long and hard before speaking out because, as we know, it is difficult for a surgeon to operate on his own child or for a judge to conduct a fair trial if the accused is a member of his family,” she said.
“Gérard Depardieu is a man...
- 1/25/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Thomas Cailley’s sci-fi thriller The Animal Kingdom and Justin Triet’s Oscar-nominated courtroom drama Anatomy Of A Fall rose to the top of the nominations at France’s Cesar awards.
The Animal Kingdom, a supernatural twist on a father-son drama that first premiered at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, has been nominated for 12 awards including best film and will vie in that category against the five-time Academy-award nominated, Palme d’Or-winning Anatomy Of A Fall with 11 nominations, alongside Cédric Kahn’s The Goldman Case, Jeanne Herry’s All Your Faces and Jean-Baptiste Durand’s Junkyard Dogs.
Cailley, Triet, Kahn and...
The Animal Kingdom, a supernatural twist on a father-son drama that first premiered at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, has been nominated for 12 awards including best film and will vie in that category against the five-time Academy-award nominated, Palme d’Or-winning Anatomy Of A Fall with 11 nominations, alongside Cédric Kahn’s The Goldman Case, Jeanne Herry’s All Your Faces and Jean-Baptiste Durand’s Junkyard Dogs.
Cailley, Triet, Kahn and...
- 1/24/2024
- ScreenDaily
Welcome, film enthusiasts and fans of French cinema. Today, we delve into the life and legacy of Gérard Depardieu, a towering figure in the French film industry. His career spans decades, marked by unforgettable performances and a certain je ne sais quoi that cements his status as an icon. Join me as we explore 10 reasons why Depardieu is revered in the annals of cinematic history. Gerard Depardieus film debut Born to migrant laborers in Châteauroux, Depardieu left his humble beginnings for the bright lights of Paris at the tender age of 16. He cut his teeth at Café de...
- 1/22/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Prosecutors in Paris dismiss complaint against French actor by Hélène Darras over legal technicality
A sexual assault complaint against Gérard Depardieu has been dropped because it was past the statute of limitations, prosecutors in Paris have said.
The complaint, by French actor Hélène Darras, was filed last year but relates to the filming of Disco in 2007, during which Depardieu allegedly groped and propositioned her.
A sexual assault complaint against Gérard Depardieu has been dropped because it was past the statute of limitations, prosecutors in Paris have said.
The complaint, by French actor Hélène Darras, was filed last year but relates to the filming of Disco in 2007, during which Depardieu allegedly groped and propositioned her.
- 1/22/2024
- by Philip Oltermann European culture editor
- The Guardian - Film News
French prosecutors have dismissed a complaint by French actress Hélène Darras claiming she was sexually assaulted by Gérard Depardieu, citing the statute of limitations for the alleged crime.
Darras filed an official complaint against the 75-year-old French star, claiming Depardieu assaulted her on the set of Fabien Onteniente’s film Disco in 2007. Darras made her allegations public in an interview on French TV in December. The interview, combined with raw footage of Depardieu making sexually inappropriate and obscene jokes, triggered a public uproar in France that some have compared to the #MeToo movement that was galvanized by the testimonies of victims of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Thirteen women have come forward to accuse Depardieu of sexual assault involving incidents spanning two decades. In February 2021, Depardieu was charged with rape and sexual assault allegedly committed in 2018 against actress Charlotte Arnould. Darras was auditioned as a witness during that ongoing investigation and...
Darras filed an official complaint against the 75-year-old French star, claiming Depardieu assaulted her on the set of Fabien Onteniente’s film Disco in 2007. Darras made her allegations public in an interview on French TV in December. The interview, combined with raw footage of Depardieu making sexually inappropriate and obscene jokes, triggered a public uproar in France that some have compared to the #MeToo movement that was galvanized by the testimonies of victims of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Thirteen women have come forward to accuse Depardieu of sexual assault involving incidents spanning two decades. In February 2021, Depardieu was charged with rape and sexual assault allegedly committed in 2018 against actress Charlotte Arnould. Darras was auditioned as a witness during that ongoing investigation and...
- 1/22/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A complaint alleging that French actor Gerard Depardieu sexually assaulted actress Hélène Darras during the 2007 filming of Disco has been dismissed by French prosecutors. The prosecutor’s office deemed that a complaint falls outside the statute of limitations, according to Variety.
Darras filed the initial complaint in September 2023, having decided to submit her own after being asked to serve as a witness during an ongoing investigation connected to a lawsuit by Charlotte Arnould.
Depardieu, who was accused of assaulting over a dozen women in an investigative report published in April,...
Darras filed the initial complaint in September 2023, having decided to submit her own after being asked to serve as a witness during an ongoing investigation connected to a lawsuit by Charlotte Arnould.
Depardieu, who was accused of assaulting over a dozen women in an investigative report published in April,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
French authorities have dismissed the sexual assault complaint filed against Gérard Depardieu by French actress Hélène Darras due to the local statute of limitations.
Darras lodged the complaint, related to events on the set of the 2007 dance comedy Disco, with the Paris Prosecutor’s Office on September 10, 2023. The case was first reported by France 2’s investigative show Complément d’Enquête in teased extracts of an edition devoted to Depardieu and the multiple sexual misconduct allegations against him.
In the show’s interview with Darras, she recounted how Depardieu hounded her on the set of Disco when she was a 26-year-old novice actress. She had a small role as a dance competition contestant in the comedy, directed by Fabien Onteniente and starring Franck Dubosc with Depardieu in a supporting role.
“He was unmanageable,” she said of Depardieu. “He looked at me as if I were a piece of meat. I was...
Darras lodged the complaint, related to events on the set of the 2007 dance comedy Disco, with the Paris Prosecutor’s Office on September 10, 2023. The case was first reported by France 2’s investigative show Complément d’Enquête in teased extracts of an edition devoted to Depardieu and the multiple sexual misconduct allegations against him.
In the show’s interview with Darras, she recounted how Depardieu hounded her on the set of Disco when she was a 26-year-old novice actress. She had a small role as a dance competition contestant in the comedy, directed by Fabien Onteniente and starring Franck Dubosc with Depardieu in a supporting role.
“He was unmanageable,” she said of Depardieu. “He looked at me as if I were a piece of meat. I was...
- 1/22/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
French prosecutors have dismissed the complaint filed by French actor Hélène Darras alleging that Gerard Depardieu sexually assaulted her during the filming of “Disco” in 2007.
In a statement sent to Variety, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office said the complaint filed on Sept. 10, 2023 will be dismissed due to the statute of limitations.
The prosecutor’s spokesperson said Darras “had decided to file a distinct complaint after being auditioned as a witness during the ongoing investigation stemming from the lawsuit by Charlotte Arnould” in 2018. Depardieu was indicted on rape charges in connection to that case in 2020.
Darras was one of the 13 women who accused Depardieu of sexual misconduct in an investigative story that ran in Mediapart in April 2023. Spanish journalist Ruth Baza also said she had filed an official complaint against the actor in Spain after being allegedly assaulted during an interview in Paris in 1995, which is beyond the 20-year statute of limitation in France.
In a statement sent to Variety, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office said the complaint filed on Sept. 10, 2023 will be dismissed due to the statute of limitations.
The prosecutor’s spokesperson said Darras “had decided to file a distinct complaint after being auditioned as a witness during the ongoing investigation stemming from the lawsuit by Charlotte Arnould” in 2018. Depardieu was indicted on rape charges in connection to that case in 2020.
Darras was one of the 13 women who accused Depardieu of sexual misconduct in an investigative story that ran in Mediapart in April 2023. Spanish journalist Ruth Baza also said she had filed an official complaint against the actor in Spain after being allegedly assaulted during an interview in Paris in 1995, which is beyond the 20-year statute of limitation in France.
- 1/22/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The case involving director Maiwenn spitting in the face of prominent French journalist Edwy Plenel — a scandal that almost eclipsed the presence of Johnny Depp on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet in May — is officially closed.
Maiwenn, whose latest film “Jeanne du Barry” starring Depp world premiered on opening night of Cannes last year, was ordered by a Paris court on Tuesday to pay a fine of €400 ($435) on the charges of “voluntary violence without interruption of work,” according to the news wire FranceInfo.
Plenel — who is editor-in-chief and founder of Mediapart, an independent French investigative online newspaper behind many bombshell reports including a recent one on Gerard Depardieu — filed a police complaint on March 7, accusing Maiwenn of aggression while he was eating in a restaurant.
Maiwenn, who was sitting by herself at a nearby table, allegedly grabbed Plenel by the hair and spit in his face, then left the restaurant.
Maiwenn, whose latest film “Jeanne du Barry” starring Depp world premiered on opening night of Cannes last year, was ordered by a Paris court on Tuesday to pay a fine of €400 ($435) on the charges of “voluntary violence without interruption of work,” according to the news wire FranceInfo.
Plenel — who is editor-in-chief and founder of Mediapart, an independent French investigative online newspaper behind many bombshell reports including a recent one on Gerard Depardieu — filed a police complaint on March 7, accusing Maiwenn of aggression while he was eating in a restaurant.
Maiwenn, who was sitting by herself at a nearby table, allegedly grabbed Plenel by the hair and spit in his face, then left the restaurant.
- 1/16/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
This week’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris will kick off with the Tuesday night world premiere of Pascal Bonitzer’s “Auction” – a ripped-from-the-headlines ensemble drama set in the crosshairs of high art and high finance.
Produced by Sbs Productions and sold by Pyramide International, the art-world saga follows – among others – a hotshot auctioneer, his less-than-reliable assistant, and the working class bloke who sets the narrative in motion upon realizing that his erstwhile innocuous wall art bears the signature of Egon Schiele.
Writer-director Pascal Bonitzer originally thought to explore this world of high-verve auctioneers as a series, but keyed into the story’s singular, cinematic potential thanks to the real-life discovery of Schiele masterworks thought lost during World War II.
“I was fascinated by this collision of two worlds,” Bonitzer tells Variety. “On the one hand, these auctioneers need to play a game – they must seduce potential sellers, wresting artifacts from...
Produced by Sbs Productions and sold by Pyramide International, the art-world saga follows – among others – a hotshot auctioneer, his less-than-reliable assistant, and the working class bloke who sets the narrative in motion upon realizing that his erstwhile innocuous wall art bears the signature of Egon Schiele.
Writer-director Pascal Bonitzer originally thought to explore this world of high-verve auctioneers as a series, but keyed into the story’s singular, cinematic potential thanks to the real-life discovery of Schiele masterworks thought lost during World War II.
“I was fascinated by this collision of two worlds,” Bonitzer tells Variety. “On the one hand, these auctioneers need to play a game – they must seduce potential sellers, wresting artifacts from...
- 1/15/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
This week’s surprise news of conservative politician Rachida Dati becoming France’s new Culture Minister provoked an earthquake within the country’s predominantly left-leaning film and TV industry.
Dati was appointed on Jan. 11 to succeed Rima Abdul Malak as Culture Minister as part of a reshuffle of France’s President Emmanuel Macron, which also saw 34-year-old Gabriel Attal becoming Prime Minister.
A combative straight shooter with an acerbic of humor and a definite sense of style, Dati is currently mayor of the posh 7th arrondissement where she regularly mingles with stars residing in the neighborhood. But her appointment as Culture Minister was welcomed with vitriolic headlines across the media and was called out by a large chunk of the film and TV biz as a casting error. The high profile politician is seen as a potential threat to the industry’s unique model of “cultural exception,” where independent, diverse filmmaking is nurtured through subsidies,...
Dati was appointed on Jan. 11 to succeed Rima Abdul Malak as Culture Minister as part of a reshuffle of France’s President Emmanuel Macron, which also saw 34-year-old Gabriel Attal becoming Prime Minister.
A combative straight shooter with an acerbic of humor and a definite sense of style, Dati is currently mayor of the posh 7th arrondissement where she regularly mingles with stars residing in the neighborhood. But her appointment as Culture Minister was welcomed with vitriolic headlines across the media and was called out by a large chunk of the film and TV biz as a casting error. The high profile politician is seen as a potential threat to the industry’s unique model of “cultural exception,” where independent, diverse filmmaking is nurtured through subsidies,...
- 1/14/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Good afternoon Insiders, Max Goldbart here in a week that has had a distinctly ‘back to school’ feel to it. We’ve certainly been busy. Read on for the biggest stories of the week and sign up here.
Has #MeToo Finally Arrived in France?
Watershed: The past week has felt like a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement in France. The country’s film industry has been at the forefront of efforts to foster gender parity thanks to pioneering activist group Le Collectif 50/50 and initiatives such as the festival charter, along with extra state funding for movies hiring women for key crew positions. However, a culture of silence around allegations of sexual abuse by big figures such as Roman Polanski and Gérard Depardieu has long been a source of debate and consternation in and outside of the country. There are signs that a major shift is underway following a bombshell...
Has #MeToo Finally Arrived in France?
Watershed: The past week has felt like a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement in France. The country’s film industry has been at the forefront of efforts to foster gender parity thanks to pioneering activist group Le Collectif 50/50 and initiatives such as the festival charter, along with extra state funding for movies hiring women for key crew positions. However, a culture of silence around allegations of sexual abuse by big figures such as Roman Polanski and Gérard Depardieu has long been a source of debate and consternation in and outside of the country. There are signs that a major shift is underway following a bombshell...
- 1/12/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
A collective of feminist groups held street protests across France on Thursday evening to protest President Emmanuel Macron’s support of Gérard Depardieu in the light of multiple allegations of sexual assault against the actor.
The initiative – entitled “Keep your old world, we want one without sexist and sexual violence” – was centred in Paris but also saw smaller satellite protests in cities such as Toulouse, Marseille and Lyon.
“We call on all those who defend the rights of women, children and gender minorities, and who refuse sexist and sexual violence to rallies,” the group, gathering under the banner of the Feminist Strike Collective, announced in a statement prior to the protests.
“Since #MeToo, progress has been made. Let us not allow this progress to be destroyed by irresponsible, troubling and sexist remarks by the President of the Republic which have undermined the rights of victims and the rights of all women and children,...
The initiative – entitled “Keep your old world, we want one without sexist and sexual violence” – was centred in Paris but also saw smaller satellite protests in cities such as Toulouse, Marseille and Lyon.
“We call on all those who defend the rights of women, children and gender minorities, and who refuse sexist and sexual violence to rallies,” the group, gathering under the banner of the Feminist Strike Collective, announced in a statement prior to the protests.
“Since #MeToo, progress has been made. Let us not allow this progress to be destroyed by irresponsible, troubling and sexist remarks by the President of the Republic which have undermined the rights of victims and the rights of all women and children,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Newly appointed French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal took France’s political and media spheres by surprise on Thursday as he named controversial politician Rachida Dati as his culture minister.
Her arrival in the new-look centrist cabinet was unexpected given that Dati was a spokesperson for centre-right President Nicolas Sarkozy during his presidential campaign and was Justice Minister from 2007 to 2009 under his presidency.
The appointment was made as part of a government cabinet reshuffle rolled out by Attal just two days after he became France’s youngest ever prime minister in a move by President Emmanuel Macron to reboot his presidency, which began with a centre-left mandate but is now moving the dial to the right.
Dati replaces Rima Abdul Malak whose position has been looking fragile in recent weeks after she found herself at odds with Macron over her suggestion that Gérard Depardieu should be stripped of his Legion Of...
Her arrival in the new-look centrist cabinet was unexpected given that Dati was a spokesperson for centre-right President Nicolas Sarkozy during his presidential campaign and was Justice Minister from 2007 to 2009 under his presidency.
The appointment was made as part of a government cabinet reshuffle rolled out by Attal just two days after he became France’s youngest ever prime minister in a move by President Emmanuel Macron to reboot his presidency, which began with a centre-left mandate but is now moving the dial to the right.
Dati replaces Rima Abdul Malak whose position has been looking fragile in recent weeks after she found herself at odds with Macron over her suggestion that Gérard Depardieu should be stripped of his Legion Of...
- 1/11/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
A decade ago, Gerard Depardieu played a character inspired by Dominique Strauss-Kahn — the disgraced former head of the International Monetary Fund who was accused of assaulting a hotel maid — in Abel Ferrara’s “Welcome to New York.” In an ironic twist, the iconic French actor has now become the poster boy for the country’s #MeToo movement, having been charged with rape and faced with over a dozen sexual assault allegations.
But the French remain divided over him due to his profile as a mascot of the country’s cinematic history. He’s starred in over 150 films, including classics such as Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s “Cyrano de Bergerac,” François Truffaut’s “Le Dernier Metro” and Bertrand Blier’s “Going Places.” However, the tide is starting to shift — while French President Emmanuel Macron refused to revoke his Legion of Honor, the Paris wax museum went ahead and removed his statue on Dec.
But the French remain divided over him due to his profile as a mascot of the country’s cinematic history. He’s starred in over 150 films, including classics such as Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s “Cyrano de Bergerac,” François Truffaut’s “Le Dernier Metro” and Bertrand Blier’s “Going Places.” However, the tide is starting to shift — while French President Emmanuel Macron refused to revoke his Legion of Honor, the Paris wax museum went ahead and removed his statue on Dec.
- 1/11/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Fresh controversy is brewing in the French film industry just weeks after a bombshell documentary detailing sexual assault accusations against Gérard Depardieu divided its ranks.
In what promises to be another divisive affair, actress Judith Godrèche has publicly condemned the relationship she openly had with director Benoît Jacquot in the late 1980s, which she says began when she was only 14 years old and he was 40.
Godrèche said this week that she was “under his influence” and that the relationship was wrong.
Jacquot – whose films as director include 2015 drama Diary Of A Chambermaid, Farewell, My Queen and Casanova, Last Love – has always held that Godrèche was 15, the minimum age of consent in France.
Godrèche, who is now 51, lived with Jacquot for six years and appeared in his films The Beggars and The Disenchanted, before leaving him in her early 20s.
She went on to build a successful career as an actress...
In what promises to be another divisive affair, actress Judith Godrèche has publicly condemned the relationship she openly had with director Benoît Jacquot in the late 1980s, which she says began when she was only 14 years old and he was 40.
Godrèche said this week that she was “under his influence” and that the relationship was wrong.
Jacquot – whose films as director include 2015 drama Diary Of A Chambermaid, Farewell, My Queen and Casanova, Last Love – has always held that Godrèche was 15, the minimum age of consent in France.
Godrèche, who is now 51, lived with Jacquot for six years and appeared in his films The Beggars and The Disenchanted, before leaving him in her early 20s.
She went on to build a successful career as an actress...
- 1/11/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
French President Emmanuel Macron made history on Tuesday as he appointed 34-year-old politician Gabriel Attal as France’s youngest ever prime minister.
Macron has a complex relationship with France’s cinema industry, where his pension reforms, attitude to cultural funding and support of Gérard Depardieu have come under fire from some quarters, but his new prime minister comes with interesting film world connections.
The new rising star of French politics is the son of late lawyer and film producer Yves Attal, who took credits on Pedro Almodóvar’s High Heels, Roberto Benigni’s The Monster and Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty.
Attal’s mother Marie de Couriss also worked in a production company.
As a teenager, Attal had a small role in Christophe Honoré’s 2008 drama The Beautiful Person co-starring Louis Garrel and Léa Seydoux.
But Attal chose not to follow in his parents’ footsteps.
After private schooling at Paris’s prestigious École Alsacienne,...
Macron has a complex relationship with France’s cinema industry, where his pension reforms, attitude to cultural funding and support of Gérard Depardieu have come under fire from some quarters, but his new prime minister comes with interesting film world connections.
The new rising star of French politics is the son of late lawyer and film producer Yves Attal, who took credits on Pedro Almodóvar’s High Heels, Roberto Benigni’s The Monster and Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty.
Attal’s mother Marie de Couriss also worked in a production company.
As a teenager, Attal had a small role in Christophe Honoré’s 2008 drama The Beautiful Person co-starring Louis Garrel and Léa Seydoux.
But Attal chose not to follow in his parents’ footsteps.
After private schooling at Paris’s prestigious École Alsacienne,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
French actor-director Samuel Theis, best known for starring in Justine Triet’s awards season favorite Anatomy of a Fall, has been accused of rape by a crew member on Je te jure (I Swear), Theis’ latest directorial feature.
The French newspaper Libération broke the story and reported that the alleged assault took place last year at a party held in an apartment rented by the production where the crew member said they were too inebriated to consent to a sexual encounter with Theis.
Theis responded to Libération’s report, telling the newspaper that the encounter was consensual. His lawyer added in response that his client has not been charged or contacted by authorities. The newspaper reported that the crew member quit the production immediately after the alleged assault.
Je te jure is currently in post-production. According to Libération, Theis was ordered to complete his work on the title remotely by...
The French newspaper Libération broke the story and reported that the alleged assault took place last year at a party held in an apartment rented by the production where the crew member said they were too inebriated to consent to a sexual encounter with Theis.
Theis responded to Libération’s report, telling the newspaper that the encounter was consensual. His lawyer added in response that his client has not been charged or contacted by authorities. The newspaper reported that the crew member quit the production immediately after the alleged assault.
Je te jure is currently in post-production. According to Libération, Theis was ordered to complete his work on the title remotely by...
- 1/8/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Better known in France for male-skewing action and teen comedy, Amazon Prime Video looks to conquer new ground with its raunchy French soap “Escort Boys.” Highlighting the country’s changing gender power dynamics with an eye-candy cast and grown-up jokes, “Escort Boys” looks to build on an interesting momentum as France experiences its most divisive #MeToo moment ever around iconic actor Gerard Depardieu’s downfall.
The timely series, which is the French adaptation of the Israeli show “Johnny and the Knights of Galilee” (“Milk and Honey”) marks the first French scripted title acquired at an early stage by Prime Video for France and English-speaking territories such as North America, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, along with a string of international territories including Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal. As one of the streamer’s major investments in France, “Escort Boys” bowed with a lavish world premiere...
The timely series, which is the French adaptation of the Israeli show “Johnny and the Knights of Galilee” (“Milk and Honey”) marks the first French scripted title acquired at an early stage by Prime Video for France and English-speaking territories such as North America, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, along with a string of international territories including Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal. As one of the streamer’s major investments in France, “Escort Boys” bowed with a lavish world premiere...
- 1/4/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Accusations of rape against the actor have divided the nation, with some referring to him as the ‘last monstre sacré’
On 20 December, during a 135-minute-long interview on French television, dedicated to topics such as the new law on immigration, the future bill on assisted dying, the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict, Emmanuel Macron was asked about Gérard Depardieu. France’s president could have chosen to be cautious and not comment on a case that has divided France. It would probably have been wiser to have remained silent, but Macron doesn’t do caution; he speaks his mind.
“You will never see me taking part in a manhunt,” he said. As for stripping the actor of the Légion d’honneur, a procedure recently started by his culture minister Rima Abdul Malak, Macron replied, looking straight at the interviewer: “The order of the Légion d’honneur is not a moral order.
On 20 December, during a 135-minute-long interview on French television, dedicated to topics such as the new law on immigration, the future bill on assisted dying, the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict, Emmanuel Macron was asked about Gérard Depardieu. France’s president could have chosen to be cautious and not comment on a case that has divided France. It would probably have been wiser to have remained silent, but Macron doesn’t do caution; he speaks his mind.
“You will never see me taking part in a manhunt,” he said. As for stripping the actor of the Légion d’honneur, a procedure recently started by his culture minister Rima Abdul Malak, Macron replied, looking straight at the interviewer: “The order of the Légion d’honneur is not a moral order.
- 12/31/2023
- by Agnès Poirier
- The Guardian - Film News
Some 600 French art and entertainment world figures have signed a “counter-petition” decrying moves to defend iconic actor Gérard Depardieu in the face of multiple accusations of sexual assault and one of rape.
The petition described a recent open letter in support of Depardieu, signed by 56 cinema world celebrities, and French President Emmanuel Macron’s public defense of the actor on a talkshow before Christmas as a slap in the face for all victims of sexual violence.
“It is the sinister and perfect illustration of the world which refuses to let things change,” read the letter posted on the site of investigative news website Mediapart on Friday.
“It is the reversal of roles where the executioner places himself as a victim, with the help of his friends. As always in cases of gender-based and sexual violence against women, the ‘presumption...
The petition described a recent open letter in support of Depardieu, signed by 56 cinema world celebrities, and French President Emmanuel Macron’s public defense of the actor on a talkshow before Christmas as a slap in the face for all victims of sexual violence.
“It is the sinister and perfect illustration of the world which refuses to let things change,” read the letter posted on the site of investigative news website Mediapart on Friday.
“It is the reversal of roles where the executioner places himself as a victim, with the help of his friends. As always in cases of gender-based and sexual violence against women, the ‘presumption...
- 12/30/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Signatories of open letter, who include Charlotte Rampling and Carla Bruni, accused of placing actor above the law
An open letter signed by 56 prominent figures defending Gérard Depardieu and suggesting the cinema giant – who has been accused of rape and sexual assault – is the victim of a “lynching” has sparked outrage in France.
Critics have accused signatories – including the British actor Charlotte Rampling, the former French first lady Carla Bruni and Depardieu’s former partner Carole Bouquet – of placing him above the law and attempting to drown out #MeToo voices.
An open letter signed by 56 prominent figures defending Gérard Depardieu and suggesting the cinema giant – who has been accused of rape and sexual assault – is the victim of a “lynching” has sparked outrage in France.
Critics have accused signatories – including the British actor Charlotte Rampling, the former French first lady Carla Bruni and Depardieu’s former partner Carole Bouquet – of placing him above the law and attempting to drown out #MeToo voices.
- 12/27/2023
- by Kim Willsher
- The Guardian - Film News
Fifty-six French stars, including Carla Bruni, Charlotte Rampling and Carole Bouquet, signed an open letter defending Gerard Depardieu, the Oscar-nominated actor who has been charged with rape and accused by more than a dozen other women of sexual assault, harassment or groping.
The essay, published in the conservative-leaning French newspaper Le Figaro, reads, in part: “We cannot remain silent in the face of the lynching targeting him, the torrent of hate being dumped on his personality” (via AP). “When Gerard Depardieu is targeted this way, it is the art [of cinema] that is being attacked. … Depriving ourselves of this immense actor would be a drama, a defeat. The death of the art. Our art.”
Other signatories included actors Pierre Richard, Victoria Abril and Nathalie Baye, and directors Bertrand Blier and Francis Veber.
Depardieu has not been convicted in connection with any of the allegations and denies wrongdoing. He called the open letter “beautiful” and its signatories “courageous,...
The essay, published in the conservative-leaning French newspaper Le Figaro, reads, in part: “We cannot remain silent in the face of the lynching targeting him, the torrent of hate being dumped on his personality” (via AP). “When Gerard Depardieu is targeted this way, it is the art [of cinema] that is being attacked. … Depriving ourselves of this immense actor would be a drama, a defeat. The death of the art. Our art.”
Other signatories included actors Pierre Richard, Victoria Abril and Nathalie Baye, and directors Bertrand Blier and Francis Veber.
Depardieu has not been convicted in connection with any of the allegations and denies wrongdoing. He called the open letter “beautiful” and its signatories “courageous,...
- 12/26/2023
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Nearly 60 actors and public figures, including British actress Charlotte Rampling and former French first lady Carla Bruni, have signed an open letter claiming that French actor Gerard Depardieu is the victim of a “torrent of hatred.”
Depardieu, who was previously charged with rape in 2021, is currently facing a new sexual assault allegation after a French actress, Hélène Darras, filed a police complaint claiming he groped her in 2007. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron defended the actor in an interview, saying he “makes France proud.”
The letter, published in French newspaper Le Figaro on Christmas Day,...
Depardieu, who was previously charged with rape in 2021, is currently facing a new sexual assault allegation after a French actress, Hélène Darras, filed a police complaint claiming he groped her in 2007. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron defended the actor in an interview, saying he “makes France proud.”
The letter, published in French newspaper Le Figaro on Christmas Day,...
- 12/26/2023
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
Some 50 French entertainment personalities have signed an open letter speaking out against the public “lynching” and cancelling of Gérard Depardieu in the wake of multiple accusations of sexual assault and one of rape.
The signatories include former first lady, top model and musician Carla Bruni as well as popular actors Charlotte Rampling, Carole Bouquet, Nathalie Baye and Pierre Richard.
The signatories said they did not want to pass comment on the accusations against Depardieu but could not remain silent in the face of the backlash against the actor in recent weeks.
“We are artists, writers and cinema producers. It’s in this capacity that we’re expressing ourselves here,” read the letter, published in Le Figaro newspaper on Christmas Day.
“We don’t want to enter into debate, and we leave the judiciary to do its job. Gérard Depardieu is probably one the greatest actors. One of the last sacred icons of cinema.
The signatories include former first lady, top model and musician Carla Bruni as well as popular actors Charlotte Rampling, Carole Bouquet, Nathalie Baye and Pierre Richard.
The signatories said they did not want to pass comment on the accusations against Depardieu but could not remain silent in the face of the backlash against the actor in recent weeks.
“We are artists, writers and cinema producers. It’s in this capacity that we’re expressing ourselves here,” read the letter, published in Le Figaro newspaper on Christmas Day.
“We don’t want to enter into debate, and we leave the judiciary to do its job. Gérard Depardieu is probably one the greatest actors. One of the last sacred icons of cinema.
- 12/26/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
French broadcaster France Televisions has been blamed by supporters of Gerard Depardieu, the Oscar-nominated actor of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” for contributing to the downfall of one of country’s most iconic actors with a bombshell documentary about his history of sexual abuse allegations which aired on Dec. 7.
The broadcaster’s head of film and international co-production, Manuel Alduy, tells Variety the TV group doesn’t have any agenda against Depardieu, however, and won’t boycott his films. “We will not ban films, but we won’t celebrate artists who have been accused until they’re completely cleared,” says Alduy, who joined France Televisions in 2021 after working at Twentieth Century Fox and Canal+ Group.
“Films are collective works of art and Depardieu happens to have starred in more than 100 films, including some classics of French cinema,” says Alduy. “It would be unfair for these films and for rights holders if we banned them,...
The broadcaster’s head of film and international co-production, Manuel Alduy, tells Variety the TV group doesn’t have any agenda against Depardieu, however, and won’t boycott his films. “We will not ban films, but we won’t celebrate artists who have been accused until they’re completely cleared,” says Alduy, who joined France Televisions in 2021 after working at Twentieth Century Fox and Canal+ Group.
“Films are collective works of art and Depardieu happens to have starred in more than 100 films, including some classics of French cinema,” says Alduy. “It would be unfair for these films and for rights holders if we banned them,...
- 12/22/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
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