French studio Gaumont’s Cannes player “Aline, The Voice of Love,” freely inspired by the life of Canadian pop star Céline Dion, was partially filmed in Andalusian provinces of Málaga and Almería in June 2019.
Directed, co-written and starring France’s Valérie Lemercier, “Aline” screened July 13 out of competition as part of Cannes’ Official Selection, earning a full five-minute standing ovation.
Co-produced by Gaumont, Rectangle Productions, TF1 and De L’Huile in France, Caramel Films in Canada and Belgium’s Belga Productions, the two-week Andalusian shoot of the film was serviced by Áralan Cinema Services.
“The climate and light of Andalusia helped the producers to set scenes that took place in Brazil, Italy, Monaco and Las Vegas,” said Gonzalo Bendala, co-founder of production house Áralan Films, whose international film servicing label, Áralan Cinema Services, launched in 2019.
For Meredic Bourlat, production manager at Paris-based Rectangle, “Aline” marked a return to lensing in Andalusia...
Directed, co-written and starring France’s Valérie Lemercier, “Aline” screened July 13 out of competition as part of Cannes’ Official Selection, earning a full five-minute standing ovation.
Co-produced by Gaumont, Rectangle Productions, TF1 and De L’Huile in France, Caramel Films in Canada and Belgium’s Belga Productions, the two-week Andalusian shoot of the film was serviced by Áralan Cinema Services.
“The climate and light of Andalusia helped the producers to set scenes that took place in Brazil, Italy, Monaco and Las Vegas,” said Gonzalo Bendala, co-founder of production house Áralan Films, whose international film servicing label, Áralan Cinema Services, launched in 2019.
For Meredic Bourlat, production manager at Paris-based Rectangle, “Aline” marked a return to lensing in Andalusia...
- 7/14/2021
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez wrapped up their Parisian vacation by acting like true tourists.
Before heading to some of the most iconic spots in the City of Lights, the famous couple’s romantic weekend getaway to France included hanging out on a yacht in Nice. Rodriguez, 41, and Lopez, 47, donned sunglasses as they took in the sights from the boat on Friday.
“Jennifer loves France. She has been many times and was very excited about the vacation with Alex,” a source close to Lopez tells People. “Jennifer organized the trip and showed Alex her favorite places. They had the best week.
Before heading to some of the most iconic spots in the City of Lights, the famous couple’s romantic weekend getaway to France included hanging out on a yacht in Nice. Rodriguez, 41, and Lopez, 47, donned sunglasses as they took in the sights from the boat on Friday.
“Jennifer loves France. She has been many times and was very excited about the vacation with Alex,” a source close to Lopez tells People. “Jennifer organized the trip and showed Alex her favorite places. They had the best week.
- 6/19/2017
- by Stephanie Petit
- PEOPLE.com
Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez have taken their romance to the perfect place: Paris!
The famous lovebirds were spotted in the City of Light Saturday, taking in famous sites like the Louvre, which Rodriguez shared snaps from on his Instagram story.
An observer tells People that Lopez, 47, and the retired baseball pro, 41, also did some shopping at a Chanel boutique on the Avenue Montaigne and a men’s shirtmaker near the Champs-Élysées.
“They were close to each other. No sign of any strain between them,” the observer says, likely referring to recent cheating rumors that insiders squashed earlier this month.
The famous lovebirds were spotted in the City of Light Saturday, taking in famous sites like the Louvre, which Rodriguez shared snaps from on his Instagram story.
An observer tells People that Lopez, 47, and the retired baseball pro, 41, also did some shopping at a Chanel boutique on the Avenue Montaigne and a men’s shirtmaker near the Champs-Élysées.
“They were close to each other. No sign of any strain between them,” the observer says, likely referring to recent cheating rumors that insiders squashed earlier this month.
- 6/17/2017
- by Jen Juneau and Peter Mikelbank
- PEOPLE.com
Guillaume Gallienne as the older Cézanne with director Danièle Thompson: 'It was a journey of discovery: I had no idea that Cézanne originally wanted to be a writer and Zola wanted to be a painter' Photo: Unifrance
She has become French cinema “royalty” with an impeccable pedigree. Danièle Thompson’s father Gérard Oury was one of the country’s most successful directors whose wartime frolic La Grande Vadrouille from 1966 scored more than 17 million box office admissions - and she had her first experience of a film set working on the hit comedy. Thompson’s mother was actress Jacqueline Roman - and her father, who died in 2006, later married the iconic Michèle Morgan.
Danièle Thompson: 'The quality of TV today has improved enormously. Look at your Downton Abbey - it is a writer’s dream' Photo: Unifrance Her son Christopher is an actor and director (together they worked on...
She has become French cinema “royalty” with an impeccable pedigree. Danièle Thompson’s father Gérard Oury was one of the country’s most successful directors whose wartime frolic La Grande Vadrouille from 1966 scored more than 17 million box office admissions - and she had her first experience of a film set working on the hit comedy. Thompson’s mother was actress Jacqueline Roman - and her father, who died in 2006, later married the iconic Michèle Morgan.
Danièle Thompson: 'The quality of TV today has improved enormously. Look at your Downton Abbey - it is a writer’s dream' Photo: Unifrance Her son Christopher is an actor and director (together they worked on...
- 4/7/2017
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Hungry for fresh nourishment, specialty audiences flocked to new World War II drama “The Zookeeper’s Wife” (Focus Features), directed by Niki Caro and starring Jessica Chastain.
While smart-house moviegoers can be discerning — see Fox Searchlight’s “Wilson” — the holocaust drama overcame modest reviews to score in wider initial release. The dearth of other product should help Focus to find bigger success ahead.
Read More: ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’ Director Niki Caro Has a Plan for Fighting Hollywood’s Gender Gap
New openings finding niche interest were led by “David Lynch – The Art Life” (Janus) as smaller films continue to struggle.
At a time of dwindling movie ad revenue, streaming service Netflix took out two full-page ads for five films in both the New York Times and Los Angeles Times. They touted four Sundance debuts: “The Discovery” starring Robert Redford and Rooney Mara, which played limited theatrical dates with no grosses reported,...
While smart-house moviegoers can be discerning — see Fox Searchlight’s “Wilson” — the holocaust drama overcame modest reviews to score in wider initial release. The dearth of other product should help Focus to find bigger success ahead.
Read More: ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’ Director Niki Caro Has a Plan for Fighting Hollywood’s Gender Gap
New openings finding niche interest were led by “David Lynch – The Art Life” (Janus) as smaller films continue to struggle.
At a time of dwindling movie ad revenue, streaming service Netflix took out two full-page ads for five films in both the New York Times and Los Angeles Times. They touted four Sundance debuts: “The Discovery” starring Robert Redford and Rooney Mara, which played limited theatrical dates with no grosses reported,...
- 4/2/2017
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Intensive research has killed many a biopic, but Cézanne Et Moi, which recounts the tempestuous lifelong friendship between Paul Cézanne and Émile Zola, labors even more tediously than most to accommodate personal details, whether or not those details serve the narrative. Cézanne and Zola met in childhood—a moment that writer-director Danièle Thompson (Avenue Montaigne) makes cheesy by depicting them shaking hands and exchanging names in the immediate aftermath of a schoolyard brawl—and they spent their youth in the company of another fast friend, Baptistin Baille. The trio were known as “the inseparables,” and we know this, in the movie, because someone passes them on the street and shouts, essentially, “Yo, the inseparables!” (Though that’s not half as clumsy, exposition-wise, as Zola asking “Is Paul here?” at Cézanne’s house and being asked “Paul Cézanne?”) Trouble is, Baille didn’t go on to accomplish anything particularly notable, and...
- 3/29/2017
- by Mike D'Angelo
- avclub.com
Lady in red—and blonde and brunette! Lady Gaga enjoyed an extremely glam fashion week fall 2015 in Paris over the weekend, where she debuted a hair color she rarely rocks (and we know she's rocked many!): strawberry blonde. The "Applause" singer, 28, who's already having a banner year thanks to both her engagement and standout Oscars performance, modeled light scarlet tresses, styled into loose waves, while exiting the Saint Laurent store on the stylish Avenue Montaigne on Saturday, March 7. Adding even more retro refinement to her look, Gaga [...]...
- 3/9/2015
- Us Weekly
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart Blu-Ray Review
There are few movies that are as wild, original, and filled with soul as Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart, and the only problem with that is that it’s going to make you think someone else directed it. (He didn’t.)
Adapted by Mathias Malzieu from his own bestselling novel and the gold-selling album by his band Dionysos, Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is a magical story that feels like a new breed of myth, and it comes to you through brilliant animation.
Born on the coldest day in the history of the Earth, Jack’s heart is frozen solid. To save his life, midwife Madeleine grafts a tiny cuckoo clock into his chest to take its place. Everything will be fine, she tells him, so long as he follows three rules in order to keep things running smooth – He can never touch the clock’s workings,...
There are few movies that are as wild, original, and filled with soul as Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart, and the only problem with that is that it’s going to make you think someone else directed it. (He didn’t.)
Adapted by Mathias Malzieu from his own bestselling novel and the gold-selling album by his band Dionysos, Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is a magical story that feels like a new breed of myth, and it comes to you through brilliant animation.
Born on the coldest day in the history of the Earth, Jack’s heart is frozen solid. To save his life, midwife Madeleine grafts a tiny cuckoo clock into his chest to take its place. Everything will be fine, she tells him, so long as he follows three rules in order to keep things running smooth – He can never touch the clock’s workings,...
- 10/28/2014
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Holly Johnson last week released his new studio album Europa, his first new studio album in 14 years.
As well as our regular Q&A , we also found time to ask Holly about his love of Blade Runner and how he came to collaborate with Vangelis on the title track of the new LP.
Blade Runner turns 30: Iconic sci-fi movie's greatest moments - 15-1
Blade Runner turns 30: Sci-fi masterpiece's greatest moments - 30-16
"That film came at a particular moment in my life when I was dreaming dreams about the future," Johnson said of Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, for which Vangelis wrote the score.
"It was just the most exciting thing, visually and sonically, I'd ever seen. I went to the cinema to see it when it came out and it was very, very affecting in lots of ways."
He added: "I got the call from Vangelis's assistant to say,...
As well as our regular Q&A , we also found time to ask Holly about his love of Blade Runner and how he came to collaborate with Vangelis on the title track of the new LP.
Blade Runner turns 30: Iconic sci-fi movie's greatest moments - 15-1
Blade Runner turns 30: Sci-fi masterpiece's greatest moments - 30-16
"That film came at a particular moment in my life when I was dreaming dreams about the future," Johnson said of Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, for which Vangelis wrote the score.
"It was just the most exciting thing, visually and sonically, I'd ever seen. I went to the cinema to see it when it came out and it was very, very affecting in lots of ways."
He added: "I got the call from Vangelis's assistant to say,...
- 10/6/2014
- Digital Spy
The entire Kardashian family has been living it up in Paris this past week ahead of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's lavish wedding ceremony! They have been seen visiting the Eiffel Tower, frequenting the chic shops on Avenue Montaigne and dining at delicious eateries. Most recently, mama Kris Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Scott Disick and Bruce Jenner joined the bride-to-be for lunch at one of her favorite restaurants—L'Avenue—where the gang noshed on small plates and sipped Bellinis. Afterward, the clan headed to Dior Kids for some more retail therapy before the big day! Don't miss Keeping Up With the Kardashians Sunday, June 8, at 9 p.m. on E!
- 5/22/2014
- E! Online
The City of Light has more "Flashing Lights" than usual since the Kardashian clan hit the cobblestoned streets in preparation for the highly anticipated Kimye wedding. Of course, Paris has been all aflutter as photogs try to catch every move Kim Kardashian and Kanye West make. But the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. aren't the only ones reveling in the week leading up to their big day! The rest of the jetsetting family headed by momager Kris Jenner has joined the couple in France's capital for the ceremony set to take place this weekend in Europe. From frolicking at the Eiffel Tower to shopping on the swank Avenue Montaigne, they've wasted no time indulging in everything the ritzy city has...
- 5/21/2014
- E! Online
The Kardashian-Jenner clan is clearly taking advantage of all the fine shops in Paris. Ahead of Kim Kardashian's upcoming wedding to Kanye West, family matriarch Kris Jenner took daughters Khloé, Kourtney, Kendall and Kylie on a shopping spree at designer stores Céline and Saint Laurent on Avenue Montaigne on Wednesday after spending much of the day relaxing at the Hotel George V. "They came out laden with bags after trips to both stores," an onlooker tells E! News. "It was new purses and shoes they purchased. They were all grinning ear-to-ear." The sighting comes just one day after Kim and Kourtney, along with the bride-to-be's daughter, North, hit up the Givenchy...
- 5/21/2014
- E! Online
Wedding bells will soon be ringing, but first cash registers are cha-ching-ing! On Monday afternoon Kim Kardashian and Kanye West visited the Avenue Montaigne in Paris for a bit of shopping. Hand-in-hand the duo strolled down the designer-lined street "gazing in shop windows and popping in and out of their favorite stores," shared a source. "Kim was smiling nonstop." While the couple didn't make a purchase when they stopped by Saint Laurent, Versace, Miu Miu, and Balenciaga, they did splurge on a few items at Céline. "Kanye was very supportive and would lend his fashion expertise while Kim was trying on clothes," shared a witness. "She tried on a couple of asymmetrical...
- 5/19/2014
- E! Online
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are creating quite a stir on the other side of the Atlantic as they prepare for their upcoming nuptials. Kardashian, 33, and West, 36, drew a large crowd that followed them store to store on Monday, as they did some pre-wedding shopping in an upscale district in the heart of Paris. The pair stopped by Balenciaga and Colette, on Rue Saint-Honoré, before grabbing a quick lunch bite and heading over to Avenue Montaigne, where they shopped at Yves Saint Laurent, Versace and Celine. The duo then went to Montaigne Market, which also features luxury goods. Meanwhile, as...
- 5/19/2014
- by Sheila Cosgrove Baylis
- PEOPLE.com
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are creating quite a stir on the other side of the Atlantic as they prepare for their upcoming nuptials. Kardashian, 33, and West, 36, drew a large crowd that followed them store to store on Monday, as they did some pre-wedding shopping in an upscale district in the heart of Paris. The pair stopped by Balenciaga and Colette, on Rue Saint-Honoré, before grabbing a quick lunch bite and heading over to Avenue Montaigne, where they shopped at Yves Saint Laurent, Versace and Celine. The duo then went to Montaigne Market, which also features luxury goods. Meanwhile, as...
- 5/19/2014
- by Sheila Cosgrove Baylis
- PEOPLE.com
Six years after he died, the 'truth' over Yves Saint Laurent's hedonistic and tortured life is being fought over by two new films
In 2001, seven years before he died, Yves Saint Laurent agreed to be filmed by documentary-maker David Teboul for a rare behind-the-scenes look at his work. In the opening scene, watching a slideshow of family photographs, he grimaces: "J'ai joué le 'grand couturier'…" His voice is both sad and self-mocking; the voice of an old man looking back across a great distance at his frail 16-year-old self, head bowed over his lavishly dressed paper dolls.
Growing up in 1940s French Algeria, the young Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent dreamed of Paris: a bullied outcast at school, he escaped into fantasy at home – devouring his mother's fashion magazines, sketching endlessly, and predicting (in the safety of his adoring family circle, at least) a future of spectacular fame.
Six decades on,...
In 2001, seven years before he died, Yves Saint Laurent agreed to be filmed by documentary-maker David Teboul for a rare behind-the-scenes look at his work. In the opening scene, watching a slideshow of family photographs, he grimaces: "J'ai joué le 'grand couturier'…" His voice is both sad and self-mocking; the voice of an old man looking back across a great distance at his frail 16-year-old self, head bowed over his lavishly dressed paper dolls.
Growing up in 1940s French Algeria, the young Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent dreamed of Paris: a bullied outcast at school, he escaped into fantasy at home – devouring his mother's fashion magazines, sketching endlessly, and predicting (in the safety of his adoring family circle, at least) a future of spectacular fame.
Six decades on,...
- 3/2/2014
- The Guardian - Film News
Those Who Love Me Can Catch the Train Wreck: Thompson’s Latest Flat, Overstuffed
Familial relationships and transportation, two favorite themes of writer/director Daniele Thompson, figure heavily in her latest feature, It Happened in Saint Tropez, a breezy situational comedy that suffers from a hokey forced charm, beginning with its misleading English title translation (the original title, Des gens qui s’embrassent should be something along the lines of People Who Embrace). A cousin in tone to something like Anne Fontaine’s 2009 bauble headed The Girl From Monaco, it unfortunately fails to match the effervescent enchantment of some of Thompson’s past titles, like her lovely 2006 film, Avenue Montaigne.
Noga (Lou de Laage) is a young cellist living in New York with her intense musician parents, Irene (Valerie Bonneton) and Zef (Eric Elmosnino). Familial drama rears its head in their isolated universe by the upcoming wedding of Zef’s...
Familial relationships and transportation, two favorite themes of writer/director Daniele Thompson, figure heavily in her latest feature, It Happened in Saint Tropez, a breezy situational comedy that suffers from a hokey forced charm, beginning with its misleading English title translation (the original title, Des gens qui s’embrassent should be something along the lines of People Who Embrace). A cousin in tone to something like Anne Fontaine’s 2009 bauble headed The Girl From Monaco, it unfortunately fails to match the effervescent enchantment of some of Thompson’s past titles, like her lovely 2006 film, Avenue Montaigne.
Noga (Lou de Laage) is a young cellist living in New York with her intense musician parents, Irene (Valerie Bonneton) and Zef (Eric Elmosnino). Familial drama rears its head in their isolated universe by the upcoming wedding of Zef’s...
- 4/18/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The City of Lights has become the City of Love for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Returning to Paris for Monday's Watch the Throne Tour encore performance, West, 35, stepped out with Kardashian, 31, on Father's Day. The couple, who are staying at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, enjoyed a late brunch date at chic eatery L'Avenue on Avenue Montaigne before capping off their meal on a sweet note: ice cream cones from Häagen-Dazs. After making a pit stop at a luxury car dealership, West, sporting a black hoodie, and Kardashian, rocking a curve-hugging green dress and mid-calf boots, emerged in...
- 6/17/2012
- by Peter Mikelbank and Alison Schwartz
- PEOPLE.com
Twilight's Kristen Stewart spotted going on fun outings in Paris other day. According to a new report from Hollywood Life, Twilight hottie Kristen Stewart was spotted having a blast in Paris,France the last couple of days. First,they revealed that she stopped at a very expensive children’s boutique on Avenue Montaigne. However,they don't know what she bought there. Next,she went out for a late sushi lunch at a Japananese restaurant named Hanawa on January 31st,and was there with just a few people who looked to be her entourage. The next day on February 1st, K-Stew was seen,signing autographs for fans as she left her hotel. She was wearing her signature skinny jeans and t-shirt. She also hit up the Cafe Germain, where she went into the restaurant’s private screening room. As previously reported,she was there to shoot a prestigious Vanity Fair photo shoot.
- 2/2/2012
- by Andre
- OnTheFlix
Kristen landed in La on Feb. 1 but when she wasn't decked out in couture gowns for her 'Vanity Fair' shoot with renowned photographer Mario Testino, she managed to slip in a little downtime -- you'll never believe what she did! Kristen Stewart did her best to have a blast in Paris even though she didn't have her boyfriend Robert Pattinson by her side. The 21-year-old managed to slip out of her hotel to do a bit of shopping!Kristen stopped by Bonpoint, an expensive children's boutique on Avenue Montaigne, reports People -- hmm, we wonder what she was picking up! Could it be a baby shower gift for pregnant Sienna Miller, who's engaged to Rob's best friend actor, Tom Sturridge. Next, she went for a late sushi lunch at Japananese restaurant Hanawa on Jan. 31 and a source tells HollywoodLife.com that she was there with just a few people who looked to be her "entourage.
- 2/2/2012
- by Chloe Melas
- HollywoodLife
She's making the most out of her Parisian trip! After a two-day high fashion shoot with photographer Mario Testino, Kristen Stewart managed to grab a little down time in the City of Light. The Snow White and the Huntsman actress picked up some gifts at Bonpoint, a children's boutique on Avenue Montaigne. Afterwards, she stopped into Restaurant Hanawa for a late-afternoon sushi lunch. Next up: a visit to Café Germain, where Stewart popped into the restaurant's private screening room. Also on her Parisian itinerary was an impromptu meet-and-greet with fans as she left her hotel clad in her standard uniform - a hoodie and jeans.
- 2/2/2012
- PEOPLE.com
About three years ago, when my daughter was five, she was invited to join a classmate and the classmates grandmother on a GrandmotherGranddaughter day at the theatre. This lovely woman had graciously paid for Orchestra seats to The Lion King for her grandchild and my daughter. Full price orchestra seats. You can see where this is goingten minutes into the first act, my daughter got scared and all three of them ended up watching the show from the monitors in the Lobby. For the price of three orchestra seats.
- 11/29/2011
- by Erin Leigh Peck
- BroadwayWorld.com
Although Rob is sans Kristen Stewart, he’s sleeping in style, where rooms run up to $28,000 a night!
Robert Pattinson is living the high life! The 24-year-old actor may not like all of the fan attention that comes along with being a mega-star but at least he’s resting his pretty head on pricey pillows. HollywoodLife.com has confirmed that Rob is staying at the Hotel Plaza-Athenee in Paris, while in town for the premiere of Water For Elephants!
Rob was in Paris in 2009 and stayed with his Breaking Dawn co-stars at the Hotel de Crillon. But it seems he’s now opted for a change of scenery. Our source tells us that Rob is staying at the hotel located on the Avenue Montaigne under a different name, and his co-star Reese Witherspoon is staying at another hotel.
Plaza-Athenee rooms range from $800 for a single room and all the way...
Robert Pattinson is living the high life! The 24-year-old actor may not like all of the fan attention that comes along with being a mega-star but at least he’s resting his pretty head on pricey pillows. HollywoodLife.com has confirmed that Rob is staying at the Hotel Plaza-Athenee in Paris, while in town for the premiere of Water For Elephants!
Rob was in Paris in 2009 and stayed with his Breaking Dawn co-stars at the Hotel de Crillon. But it seems he’s now opted for a change of scenery. Our source tells us that Rob is staying at the hotel located on the Avenue Montaigne under a different name, and his co-star Reese Witherspoon is staying at another hotel.
Plaza-Athenee rooms range from $800 for a single room and all the way...
- 4/28/2011
- by Chloe Melas
- HollywoodLife
Woody Allen has taken a break from directing to return to acting. The 75-year-old filmmaker filmed a scene on April 2 for the upcoming movie ‘Paris Manhattan’ in front of the Plaza Athenee hotel on Avenue Montaigne in the city of lights, collider.com is reporting. Allen plays himself in ‘Paris Manhattan,’ his first acting role since he starred in his own movie ‘Scoop’ in 2006. ‘Paris Manhattan’ is a romantic comedy, and is the first movie to be helmed by French director Sophie Lellouche. It follows a young pharmacist, played by Alice Taglioni, who is obsessed with Allen. Her family hopes another man, played by Patrick Bruel, will get her mind [...]...
- 4/4/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
A look at what's new on DVD today:
"Black Lightning" (2009)
Directed by Dmitriy Kiselev and Aleksandr Voytinskiy
Released by Universal Studios
"Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov produced this Russian action flick about a man and his flying car, using the same effects team that worked on all of his previous films including "Night Watch." A Russian trailer is here since where we're going, we don't need to understand words.
"7th Hunt" (2010)
Directed by Jon Cohen
Released by Vanguard Cinema
A motley group of young adults are abducted and forced to fend for their survival at an abandoned military training center in the middle of nowhere in Jon Cohen's thriller.
"Alien Vs. Ninja" (2010)
Directed by Seiji Chiba
Released by Funimation
A selection of last year's New York Asian Film Festival, Seiji Chiba's crazy genre mashup may just be "the best and wittiest movie ever to air at 2am on the SyFy Channel" in the future,...
"Black Lightning" (2009)
Directed by Dmitriy Kiselev and Aleksandr Voytinskiy
Released by Universal Studios
"Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov produced this Russian action flick about a man and his flying car, using the same effects team that worked on all of his previous films including "Night Watch." A Russian trailer is here since where we're going, we don't need to understand words.
"7th Hunt" (2010)
Directed by Jon Cohen
Released by Vanguard Cinema
A motley group of young adults are abducted and forced to fend for their survival at an abandoned military training center in the middle of nowhere in Jon Cohen's thriller.
"Alien Vs. Ninja" (2010)
Directed by Seiji Chiba
Released by Funimation
A selection of last year's New York Asian Film Festival, Seiji Chiba's crazy genre mashup may just be "the best and wittiest movie ever to air at 2am on the SyFy Channel" in the future,...
- 2/21/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
How romantic! Ryan Seacrest and girlfriend Julianne Hough have jetted off to Paris, and the happy couple have wasted no time seeing the sights and spending quality time together. On Tuesday, the two, who are also in town with Seacrest's parents and his sister Meredith, lunched at Chez André and were spotted strolling hand-in-hand through the City of Light. Next on their itinerary? A stop by Dior's flagship boutique on Avenue Montaigne. As if the setting wasn't perfect enough, Hough has gushed that her beau is "really romantic," telling Ellen DeGeneres that for her birthday he put "flowers everywhere. I was almost embarrassed.
- 11/23/2010
- by Peter Mikelbank
- PEOPLE.com
Gossip Girl is back! When the CW show returns for its fourth season Monday (9 p.m. Et), Blair (Leighton Meester) and Serena (Blake Lively) have left Manhattan -- and their complicated love lives -- behind for a summer in Paris. And what do two privileged Upper East Siders do in the City of Light? Shop! And not just for shoes. In an exclusive clip of the season 4 premiere, the besties hit the stores on Avenue Montaigne and Blair is working her contact list, hoping to find a date after what's so far been a dry summer. Serena, who's enjoyed one fling after the next,...
- 9/13/2010
- by StyleWatch
- People.com - TV Watch
This weekend's releases offer up some tantalizing choices: Do you want to go witty and urbane with a sharply observed dinner comedy from France? Or would you rather indulge in a gritty, adrenaline-fueled historical action film? Why not see both? (Oh, that's Mmp for you -- always willing to take the bold stand.) In Change of Plans a group of friends get together for a lovely, summer dinner party. But since the festivities are being presided over by director Danièle Thompson -- who previously gave us such sly inquests into human behavior as Cousin Cousine and Avenue Montaigne and here uses an unusual, fractured timeline to give us frequent glimpses into the attendee's futures -- the social niceties will not be all they seem and the relationships, sexual and otherwise, are going to be more elaborate than anyone could imagine. With...
- 8/28/2010
- by Dan Persons
- Huffington Post
Middling, middle-class entertainment aimed at the midpoint between comedy and drama, mass appeal and sophistication, Change of Plans is eager to please and easy to dismiss. Riffing on a familiar premise, director Daniele Thompson (Avenue Montaigne, Jet Lag), working from a script she wrote with her son Christopher Thompson, puts 10 Parisian professionals together for a dinner party and lets the sparks, secrets and passions fly. Spouses bicker, kisses are stolen and home design is silently judged.
- 8/26/2010
- Movieline
Adding a little color to the streets in Paris, Leighton Meester and Blake Lively were looking glamorous while partaking in "Gossip Girl" filming duties on Avenue Montaigne on Friday (July 9).
Having been situated in the French locale over the past week, the Blair Waldorf babe and her Serena van der Woodsen co-star busily shot scenes on the last day of filming in the City of Lights.
As for their often over-the-top ensembles, Leighton recently admitted that they can sometimes be a bit embarrassing.
She dishes, "It's fun to dress up, much better than having boring clothes, but it can be challenging because I know I have to walk down the street in a ball gown sometimes."
Continuing on, Miss Meester tells, "People point at me and say 'Who is that crazy person?' I just have to try and ignore it."
As for the new season of "Gossip Girl," you...
Having been situated in the French locale over the past week, the Blair Waldorf babe and her Serena van der Woodsen co-star busily shot scenes on the last day of filming in the City of Lights.
As for their often over-the-top ensembles, Leighton recently admitted that they can sometimes be a bit embarrassing.
She dishes, "It's fun to dress up, much better than having boring clothes, but it can be challenging because I know I have to walk down the street in a ball gown sometimes."
Continuing on, Miss Meester tells, "People point at me and say 'Who is that crazy person?' I just have to try and ignore it."
As for the new season of "Gossip Girl," you...
- 7/10/2010
- GossipCenter
135 filmmakers and executives have been invited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to join its ranks. Recent Oscar nominees and winners such as Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Mo'Nique, Carey Mulligan, Jeremy Renner, Gabourey Sidibe and Christoph Waltz have been invited to join; but even "Saw's" Tobin Bell and "Avatar's" Zoe Saldana received invites.
New members will be "baptized" in an invitation-only reception in September at the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills.
Here's a complete list of the 2010 invitees:
Actors
Tobin Bell -- "Saw," "The Firm"
Vera Farmiga -- "Up in the Air," "The Departed"
Miguel Ferrer -- "Traffic," "RoboCop"
James Gandolfini -- "In the Loop," "Get Shorty"
Anna Kendrick -- "Up in the Air," "Twilight"
Mo'Nique -- "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," "Phat Girlz"
Carey Mulligan -- "An Education," "Public Enemies"
Jeremy Renner -- "The Hurt Locker,...
New members will be "baptized" in an invitation-only reception in September at the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills.
Here's a complete list of the 2010 invitees:
Actors
Tobin Bell -- "Saw," "The Firm"
Vera Farmiga -- "Up in the Air," "The Departed"
Miguel Ferrer -- "Traffic," "RoboCop"
James Gandolfini -- "In the Loop," "Get Shorty"
Anna Kendrick -- "Up in the Air," "Twilight"
Mo'Nique -- "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," "Phat Girlz"
Carey Mulligan -- "An Education," "Public Enemies"
Jeremy Renner -- "The Hurt Locker,...
- 6/27/2010
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
HollywoodNews.com: Adam Sandler is gearing up for the release of his new film, “Grown Ups,” and has just been announced as one of 135 artists selected to join the Academy.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 135 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2010 to the Academy’s roster of voting members.
“The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them.”
The Academy’s membership policies would have allowed a maximum of 180 new members in 2010, but as in other recent years, the several branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them. Voting membership in the organization has now held...
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 135 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2010 to the Academy’s roster of voting members.
“The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them.”
The Academy’s membership policies would have allowed a maximum of 180 new members in 2010, but as in other recent years, the several branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them. Voting membership in the organization has now held...
- 6/25/2010
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
Oscar winner Indian sound recordist Resul Pookutty has been invited to join the coveted Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences as a member. Along with Resul the invitation has been extended to 135 film professionals from around the globe that includes Christopher Walts (Inglorious Basterds) and Jacque Audiard (A Prophet). Resul was awarded an Oscar last year for Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire.
Members of the academy vote for the annual academy awards.
“The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them.”
The Academy’s membership policies would have allowed a maximum of 180 new members in 2010, but as in other recent years, the several branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them. Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since...
Members of the academy vote for the annual academy awards.
“The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them.”
The Academy’s membership policies would have allowed a maximum of 180 new members in 2010, but as in other recent years, the several branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them. Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since...
- 6/25/2010
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited 135 filmmakers and executives -- including such recent Oscar nominees and winners as Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Mo'Nique, Carey Mulligan, Jeremy Renner, Gabourey Sidibe and Christoph Waltz -- to join its ranks.
The Academy issued its annual invitation list Thursday.
The actor's portion of the list ranged from genre favorites like "Saw's" Tobin Bell to "Avatar's" Zoe Saldana, from "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini, whose film credits include "In the Loop" and "Get Shorty" to rising leading man Ryan Reynolds, who's appeared in "The Proposal" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
An international sampling of directors made the cut: Among them France's Jacques Audiard, Argentina's Juan Jose Campanella, Denmark's Lone Scherfig and, from the U.S., Lee Daniels and Adam Shankman, the latter of whom co-produced the last Oscar show.
Oscar nominee "District 9" was well represented: Matt Aitken and Dan Kaufman...
The Academy issued its annual invitation list Thursday.
The actor's portion of the list ranged from genre favorites like "Saw's" Tobin Bell to "Avatar's" Zoe Saldana, from "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini, whose film credits include "In the Loop" and "Get Shorty" to rising leading man Ryan Reynolds, who's appeared in "The Proposal" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
An international sampling of directors made the cut: Among them France's Jacques Audiard, Argentina's Juan Jose Campanella, Denmark's Lone Scherfig and, from the U.S., Lee Daniels and Adam Shankman, the latter of whom co-produced the last Oscar show.
Oscar nominee "District 9" was well represented: Matt Aitken and Dan Kaufman...
- 6/25/2010
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
• While boyfriend, (not fiancé), Bradley Cooper talked A-Team with journalists in Paris on Monday, Renée Zellweger took off - on foot! Sporting headphones, the actress went for a late-afternoon run along the scenic Seine River, heading from the tony Avenue Montaigne to the Eiffel Tower and back. The night before, Zellweger and Cooper joined Kate Hudson and her rumored new beau, musician Matt Bellamy, for dinner at a tiny French bistro.
- 6/15/2010
- PEOPLE.com
There is no better way to ring in the holidays this December! Your magical evening begins at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar located at 217 Stuart Street as they present a special 3-course Pre-Theatre Menu at 6:30pm (tax and gratuity included). After dinner, it's off to Boston's Colonial Theatre for the 8:30pm performance of the Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller in Orchestra seats.
- 12/5/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
Sotheby's is keeping secret the identity of the person whose art collection is going on the block Sept. 23 in Paris. The auction house's Parisian publicist, Sophie Dufresne, says, "We can't give any further details . . . the client asked us not to reveal their name." But Monocle magazine ran a small item on the sale, "Photographs, Furniture & Works of Art from a Parisian Flat, Avenue Montaigne," with a few key clues. The seller is 1) a woman; 2) raised in South America; 3) married twice. Now, the Transracial.net blog has identified the mystery woman as Brazilian-born Maria Regina Leal Costa Mayall Edelman,...
- 9/3/2009
- NYPost.com
Paris -- The recent love affair between U.S. filmgoers and French movies will be reignited Thursday evening as Unifrance's 14th annual Rendez-Vous with French cinema kicks off in New York.
The event launches in Alice Tully Hall with the U.S. premiere of Christophe Barratier's musical period piece "Paris 36," the director's follow-up to international hit "The Chorus," about a Depression-era music hall in Paris. Sony Classics will release the film stateside April 3.
"The fact that we were sold out before the fest even began says that, while French films might be scrambling for a small little bit of the U.S. boxoffice, there's an enduring appetite in the U.S. for French movies," Unifrance's N.Y. bureau chief John Kochman told The Hollywood Reporter.
Organized in partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this year's Rendez-Vous lineup of 18 titles reads like the nominees list at Friday's Cesar Awards ceremony.
The event launches in Alice Tully Hall with the U.S. premiere of Christophe Barratier's musical period piece "Paris 36," the director's follow-up to international hit "The Chorus," about a Depression-era music hall in Paris. Sony Classics will release the film stateside April 3.
"The fact that we were sold out before the fest even began says that, while French films might be scrambling for a small little bit of the U.S. boxoffice, there's an enduring appetite in the U.S. for French movies," Unifrance's N.Y. bureau chief John Kochman told The Hollywood Reporter.
Organized in partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this year's Rendez-Vous lineup of 18 titles reads like the nominees list at Friday's Cesar Awards ceremony.
- 3/5/2009
- by By Rebecca Leffler
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The whole family is in for a treat when your evening in Boston begins at The Colonial Theatre for Magic Tree House?: The Musical at 5pm. This exciting musical adventure is yours to enjoy in orchestra seats. After the show, Maggiano's located at 4 Columbus Avenue in Boston will be ready to serve up an Italian dinner that will have something for everybody!(tax and gratuity included/Choice of Side Salad or Appetizer, One Entr?e, and One Dessert per person.) What happens when an entire kingdom's fate depends on the courage and imagination of two kids? Based on Mary Pope Osborne's beloved series of children's books, Magic Tree House?: The Musical transports Jack and Annie's adventures onto the stage to create a theatrical event for the entire family. "A Magical Evening with Magic Tree House: The Musical and Maggiano's!" Saturday, February 21 Click Here For Menu And Details! *All...
- 1/23/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
. Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon, celebrating Bastille Day in Paris with a bang. The couple took in the traditional fireworks display, with Gyllenhaal hoisting Witherspoon's daughter Ava, 8, on his shoulders to give her a better view. Earlier, the couple had lunched at L'Avenue, a restaurant on Avenue Montaigne, before setting off separately. (Witherspoon headed to the Vogue offices, while her beau went shopping in the trendy Marais district.) But they met up again for tea at Mariage Frères before the light show.
- 7/16/2008
- PEOPLE.com
PARIS --Gallic product is off to a quick start in 2007, with French films doing strong numbers in foreign territories, according to state-run film promotion organization Unifrance.
Luc Besson's Arthur and the Minimoys spearheaded the country's exports for the first two months of this year, with $14 million in U.S. boxoffice receipts, 7 million ($9.2 million) in the U.K., 3.7 million ($4.8 million) in Spain, 3 million ($3.9 million) in Germany and 1.6 million ($2.1 million) in Italy.
Michel Gondry's offbeat The Science of Sleep took in 600,000 ($786,926) in Italy, 32,000 ($41,969) in the U.K. and 20,000 ($26,230) in Spain.
Denis Dercourt's The Page Turner drew a surprisingly large audience in the U.K. with 250,000 ($327,886) and also proved to be a crowd-pleaser in Italy with 180,000 ($236,077) and Denmark with 50,000 ($65,577).
U.S. audiences enjoyed a trip to Daniele Thompson's Avenue Montaigne, which took in $70,000 during its first two weeks of release on just two screens. Rachid Bouchareb's World War II drama Days of Glory, fresh off its Oscar nomination, already has amassed more than $100,000 in ticket sales and Abderrahmane Sissako's smaller-budgeted African drama Bamako also drew a nicely-sized Anglophone art house crowd with $30,000 in the U.S.
Luc Besson's Arthur and the Minimoys spearheaded the country's exports for the first two months of this year, with $14 million in U.S. boxoffice receipts, 7 million ($9.2 million) in the U.K., 3.7 million ($4.8 million) in Spain, 3 million ($3.9 million) in Germany and 1.6 million ($2.1 million) in Italy.
Michel Gondry's offbeat The Science of Sleep took in 600,000 ($786,926) in Italy, 32,000 ($41,969) in the U.K. and 20,000 ($26,230) in Spain.
Denis Dercourt's The Page Turner drew a surprisingly large audience in the U.K. with 250,000 ($327,886) and also proved to be a crowd-pleaser in Italy with 180,000 ($236,077) and Denmark with 50,000 ($65,577).
U.S. audiences enjoyed a trip to Daniele Thompson's Avenue Montaigne, which took in $70,000 during its first two weeks of release on just two screens. Rachid Bouchareb's World War II drama Days of Glory, fresh off its Oscar nomination, already has amassed more than $100,000 in ticket sales and Abderrahmane Sissako's smaller-budgeted African drama Bamako also drew a nicely-sized Anglophone art house crowd with $30,000 in the U.S.
- 3/13/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
PARIS -- Rachid Bouchareb's Days of Glory, Pascale Ferran's Lady Chatterley and Guillaume Canet's Tell No One dominate the nominations for this year's Cesar Awards, France's top film honors, with each film vying for nine awards, organizers said Friday.
Alain Resnais' Coeurs and Xavier Giannoli's When I Was a Singer trail with eight and seven nominations, respectively.
Days of Glory, a harrowing portrayal of North Africans who fought to liberate France during World War II, followed up its foreign-language Oscar nomination with nine Cesar noms including best film, director and original script.
Tell No One, Guillaume Canet's adaptation of Harlan Coben's thriller, also bagged nine nominations, including best film, director and actor (Francois Cluzet).
Lady Chatterley, a critics' favorite that picked up the Louis Delluc prize in December, rounded out the trio with nominations in the best film, director and actress (Marina Hands) categories.
Philippe Lioret's adolescent drama Don't Worry, I'm Fine, also will compete in the best film category, nabbing a total of five nominations including best director and female newcomer (Melanie Laurent).
Cecile de France, who took last year's supporting actress Cesar, will compete against herself in the best actress category for her roles in When I Was a Singer and Avenue Montaigne. Catherine Frot (The Page Turner), Charlotte Gainsbourg (I Do) and Marina Hands (Lady Chatterley) also will vie for the prize.
Nominees in the best actor category include Michel Blanc, who plays a farmer in French boxoffice hit You're So Beautiful; Alain Chabat, for his hilarious portrayal of a reluctant lover in I Do; Gerard Depardieu, for his role as a worn-out ballroom singer in When I Was a Singer; Jean Dujardin, who plays the French reincarnation of James Bond in OSS 117; and Francois Cluzet, a man searching for his missing wife in Tell No One.
Singer, Glory and Beautiful will vie for best original screenplay alongside Avenue Montaigne and Jean-Philippe while No One, Chatterley, OSS 117 and Don't Worry will compete with Alain Resnais' ensemble hit Private Fears in Public Places in the best adaptation category.
Christine Citti (Singer), Mylene Demongeot (French California) and Bernadette Lafont (I Do) will compete for the best supporting actress prize with French singer Dani (Avenue Montaigne) and this year's Cesars ceremony host, Valerie Lemercier (Montaigne).
The nominees for best supporting actor are Danny Boon (The Valet), Francois Cluzet (Four Stars), Andre Dussollier (No One), Guy Marchand (Inside Paris) and Kad Merad (Don't Worry).
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' Little Miss Sunshine, Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, Stephen Frears' The Queen and Pedro Almodovar's Volver will compete for best foreign-language film.
Alain Resnais' Coeurs and Xavier Giannoli's When I Was a Singer trail with eight and seven nominations, respectively.
Days of Glory, a harrowing portrayal of North Africans who fought to liberate France during World War II, followed up its foreign-language Oscar nomination with nine Cesar noms including best film, director and original script.
Tell No One, Guillaume Canet's adaptation of Harlan Coben's thriller, also bagged nine nominations, including best film, director and actor (Francois Cluzet).
Lady Chatterley, a critics' favorite that picked up the Louis Delluc prize in December, rounded out the trio with nominations in the best film, director and actress (Marina Hands) categories.
Philippe Lioret's adolescent drama Don't Worry, I'm Fine, also will compete in the best film category, nabbing a total of five nominations including best director and female newcomer (Melanie Laurent).
Cecile de France, who took last year's supporting actress Cesar, will compete against herself in the best actress category for her roles in When I Was a Singer and Avenue Montaigne. Catherine Frot (The Page Turner), Charlotte Gainsbourg (I Do) and Marina Hands (Lady Chatterley) also will vie for the prize.
Nominees in the best actor category include Michel Blanc, who plays a farmer in French boxoffice hit You're So Beautiful; Alain Chabat, for his hilarious portrayal of a reluctant lover in I Do; Gerard Depardieu, for his role as a worn-out ballroom singer in When I Was a Singer; Jean Dujardin, who plays the French reincarnation of James Bond in OSS 117; and Francois Cluzet, a man searching for his missing wife in Tell No One.
Singer, Glory and Beautiful will vie for best original screenplay alongside Avenue Montaigne and Jean-Philippe while No One, Chatterley, OSS 117 and Don't Worry will compete with Alain Resnais' ensemble hit Private Fears in Public Places in the best adaptation category.
Christine Citti (Singer), Mylene Demongeot (French California) and Bernadette Lafont (I Do) will compete for the best supporting actress prize with French singer Dani (Avenue Montaigne) and this year's Cesars ceremony host, Valerie Lemercier (Montaigne).
The nominees for best supporting actor are Danny Boon (The Valet), Francois Cluzet (Four Stars), Andre Dussollier (No One), Guy Marchand (Inside Paris) and Kad Merad (Don't Worry).
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' Little Miss Sunshine, Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, Stephen Frears' The Queen and Pedro Almodovar's Volver will compete for best foreign-language film.
- 1/26/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nine of 61 films that originally qualified for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the foreign-language film Oscar have advanced to the final voting phase.
The rules for the category changed this year. Instead of several hundred members of the foreign-language film committee selecting the five nominees, this year -- during what the Academy calls Phase I -- their ballots selected nine finalists for nomination.
A Phase II committee of 30, comprised of 10 randomly selected members of the larger group and two 10-member contingents from New York and Los Angeles, will choose the final five nominees.
The films are Algeria's Days of Glory, directed by Rachid Bouchareb (distributed in the U.S. by the Weinstein Co.); Canada's Water, by Deepa Mehta (Fox Searchlight); Denmark's After the Wedding, by Susanne Bier (IFC Films); France's Avenue Montaigne, by Daniele Thompson (ThinkFilm); Germany's The Lives of Others, by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (Sony Pictures Classics); Mexico's Pan's Labyrinth, by Guillermo Del Toro (Picturehouse); the Netherlands' Black Book, by Paul Verhoeven (Sony Pictures Classics); Spain's Volver, directed by Pedro Almodovar (Sony Pictures Classics); and Switzerland's Vitus, by Fredi M. Murer...
The rules for the category changed this year. Instead of several hundred members of the foreign-language film committee selecting the five nominees, this year -- during what the Academy calls Phase I -- their ballots selected nine finalists for nomination.
A Phase II committee of 30, comprised of 10 randomly selected members of the larger group and two 10-member contingents from New York and Los Angeles, will choose the final five nominees.
The films are Algeria's Days of Glory, directed by Rachid Bouchareb (distributed in the U.S. by the Weinstein Co.); Canada's Water, by Deepa Mehta (Fox Searchlight); Denmark's After the Wedding, by Susanne Bier (IFC Films); France's Avenue Montaigne, by Daniele Thompson (ThinkFilm); Germany's The Lives of Others, by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (Sony Pictures Classics); Mexico's Pan's Labyrinth, by Guillermo Del Toro (Picturehouse); the Netherlands' Black Book, by Paul Verhoeven (Sony Pictures Classics); Spain's Volver, directed by Pedro Almodovar (Sony Pictures Classics); and Switzerland's Vitus, by Fredi M. Murer...
- 1/23/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Spanish-language movie hits Pan's Labyrinth and Volver are shortlisted for Oscar gold at the upcoming Academy Awards. Nine films from 61 hopefuls were selected as possible nominees for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 79th Oscars. As well as Mexico's Pan's Labyrinth and Spain's Volver, other potential nominees are Days Of Gloria (Algeria), Water (Canada), After The Wedding (Denmark), Avenue Montaigne (France), Black Book (The Netherlands), Vitus (Switzerland) and Lives Of Others (Germany). The final five films in contention will be announced at the officials nominations on January 23.
- 1/17/2007
- WENN
- As committees from each individual country select their respective submissions for the Best Foreign Picture Academy Award derby, folks like myself have the arduous task of trying to keep score. Without a doubt the early favorite is Germanyâ.s selection which has already picked up seven German Film Awards this year. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's directorial debut takes place in East Berlin, November 1984. Five years before its downfall, the former East-German government ensured its claim to power with a ruthless system of control and surveillance. Party-loyalist Captain Gerd Wiesler hopes to boost his career when given the job of collecting evidence against the playwright Georg Dreyman and his girlfriend, the celebrated theater actress Christa-Maria Sieland. Sony Pictures Classics will release The Lives of Others early next year, though it could be challenged for the Foreign Oscar category by another Spc pic â. Pedroâ.s Volver. Also let
- 10/20/2006
- IONCINEMA.com
PARIS -- The surprise French hit Orchestra Seats was named late Wednesday as France's bid as best foreign-language film at next year's Oscars. The film, directed by Daniele Thompson and produced by Thelma Films, is a tale that takes place after the curtain falls at the famed Theatre des Champs Elysees in Paris. A committee set up by the ministry for culture made the selection. Released by Mars Distribution in February, the comedy drama attracted almost two million admissions in France and grossed nearly 11.5 million ($14.6 million). Daughter of recently deceased filmmaker Gerard Oury, Thompson was previously nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay in 1977 for Cousin, Cousine.
- 9/14/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
PARIS -- The surprise French hit Orchestra Seats was named late Wednesday as France's bid as best foreign-language film at next year's Oscars. The film, directed by Daniele Thompson and produced by Thelma Films, is a tale that takes place after the curtain falls at the famed Theatre des Champs Elysees in Paris. A committee set up by the ministry for culture made the selection. Released by Mars Distribution in February, the comedy drama attracted almost two million admissions in France and grossed nearly 11.5 million ($14.6 million). Daughter of recently deceased filmmaker Gerard Oury, Thompson was previously nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay in 1977 for Cousin, Cousine.
- 9/14/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Daniele Thompson, who wrote the screenplay for Fauteuils d'orchestre with her son, actor Christopher Thompson, directs the multicharacter comedy with such smooth assurance that the movie glows with infectious cheerfulness. The film moves effortlessly among three story lines and locations, all within easy walking distance in an upscale Paris neighborhood at the intersection of Life, Love and Art.
This French charmer could do well in North American art houses, especially with older audiences who will appreciate the old-fashioned -- in the best sense of that phrase -- approach to story, characters and themes. It certainly proved to be one of the hits of the French film series in Los Angeles.
Our entree into these competing though complementary worlds is Jessica (Cecile de France), a young woman so recently arrived in Paris she doesn't even have a place to live. She takes a waitressing job at the Bar des Theatres on the chic Avenue Montaigne, a venerable establishment that traditionally never hires women, yet the manager is desperate.
Two waiters are sick, and three major events will occur simultaneously on the street: Soap opera star Catherine Versen (Cesar-nominated Valerie Lemercier) will open in a Feydeau farce at the theater next door; celebrated pianist Jean-Francois Lefort (Albert Dupontel) will perform a Beethoven concert; and aging financier Jacques Grumberg (Claude Brasseur) will auction off his renowned art collection.
The bar is the kind of joint where management willingly accepts orders from around the quarter. So Jessica finds herself drawn into the people and preparations for each of these events. And each event represents a severe personal crisis.
Catherine makes a fortune on the soap yet longs for cinematic glory. Run physically ragged by a schedule of night shoots and day rehearsals, the actress is desperate to land an interview with visiting American director Brian Sobinski (played with knowing glee by famed director Sydney Pollack), who is casting for a film about Simone de Beauvoir.
At the peak of his musical abilities, Jean-Francois is nevertheless a burnt-out case. Exhausted by his concert schedule, he longs to get off the merry-go-round to teach and perform for charity. His manager-wife Valentine (Italian actress Laura Morante) can't fathom what role that would leave for her in their partnership. So a midlife crisis has precipitated a martial one.
Grumberg's decision to sell off the art he and his late wife spent a lifetime collecting has caused a rift with his son Frederic (Christopher Thompson). A glum academic, he disapproves of his dad's relationship with a beautiful gold digger (Annelise Hesme), which is exacerbated by the fact that Valerie was once his mistress.
Jessica, who has a Candide-like optimism about life, floats through these three sets of characters, becoming a part of everyone's life even as she searches unsuccessfully for living quarters while finding ingenious solutions for temporary beds. The film's other observer is Claudie (Dani), the theater's retiring concierge who, talentless herself, has lived her life in happy proximity to people loaded with talent.
The film is neither profound nor deep but does lightly touch on serious issues revolving around the temporal nature of life. All crises get neatly and happily resolved by fadeout, and the film approvingly views all its bourgeois glamour. No, existence is never quite so tidy, but that's why we go to movies such as Orchestra Seats.
Bookending the film is the relationship between Jessica and the grandmother who raised her. This role is delightfully played by Suzanne Flon, who recently died at age 87. The film is dedicated to the veteran actress.
ORCHESTRA SEATS
Thelma Films
Credits:
Director: Daniele Thompson
Screenwriters: Daniele Thompson, Christopher Thompson
Producer: Christine Gozlan
Director of photography: Jean-Marc Fabre
Production designer: Michele Abbe-Vannier
Music: Nicola Piovani
Costume designer: Catherine Leterrier
Editor: Sylvie Landra
Cast:
Jessica: Cecile de France
Catherine: Valerie Lemercier
Jean-Francois: Albert Dupontel
Valentine: Laura Morante
Jacques Grumberg: Claude Brasseur
Frederic: Christopher Thompson
Claudie: Dani
Brian
Sydney Pollack
Valerie: Annelise Hesme
No MPAA rating
Running time -- 105 minutes...
This French charmer could do well in North American art houses, especially with older audiences who will appreciate the old-fashioned -- in the best sense of that phrase -- approach to story, characters and themes. It certainly proved to be one of the hits of the French film series in Los Angeles.
Our entree into these competing though complementary worlds is Jessica (Cecile de France), a young woman so recently arrived in Paris she doesn't even have a place to live. She takes a waitressing job at the Bar des Theatres on the chic Avenue Montaigne, a venerable establishment that traditionally never hires women, yet the manager is desperate.
Two waiters are sick, and three major events will occur simultaneously on the street: Soap opera star Catherine Versen (Cesar-nominated Valerie Lemercier) will open in a Feydeau farce at the theater next door; celebrated pianist Jean-Francois Lefort (Albert Dupontel) will perform a Beethoven concert; and aging financier Jacques Grumberg (Claude Brasseur) will auction off his renowned art collection.
The bar is the kind of joint where management willingly accepts orders from around the quarter. So Jessica finds herself drawn into the people and preparations for each of these events. And each event represents a severe personal crisis.
Catherine makes a fortune on the soap yet longs for cinematic glory. Run physically ragged by a schedule of night shoots and day rehearsals, the actress is desperate to land an interview with visiting American director Brian Sobinski (played with knowing glee by famed director Sydney Pollack), who is casting for a film about Simone de Beauvoir.
At the peak of his musical abilities, Jean-Francois is nevertheless a burnt-out case. Exhausted by his concert schedule, he longs to get off the merry-go-round to teach and perform for charity. His manager-wife Valentine (Italian actress Laura Morante) can't fathom what role that would leave for her in their partnership. So a midlife crisis has precipitated a martial one.
Grumberg's decision to sell off the art he and his late wife spent a lifetime collecting has caused a rift with his son Frederic (Christopher Thompson). A glum academic, he disapproves of his dad's relationship with a beautiful gold digger (Annelise Hesme), which is exacerbated by the fact that Valerie was once his mistress.
Jessica, who has a Candide-like optimism about life, floats through these three sets of characters, becoming a part of everyone's life even as she searches unsuccessfully for living quarters while finding ingenious solutions for temporary beds. The film's other observer is Claudie (Dani), the theater's retiring concierge who, talentless herself, has lived her life in happy proximity to people loaded with talent.
The film is neither profound nor deep but does lightly touch on serious issues revolving around the temporal nature of life. All crises get neatly and happily resolved by fadeout, and the film approvingly views all its bourgeois glamour. No, existence is never quite so tidy, but that's why we go to movies such as Orchestra Seats.
Bookending the film is the relationship between Jessica and the grandmother who raised her. This role is delightfully played by Suzanne Flon, who recently died at age 87. The film is dedicated to the veteran actress.
ORCHESTRA SEATS
Thelma Films
Credits:
Director: Daniele Thompson
Screenwriters: Daniele Thompson, Christopher Thompson
Producer: Christine Gozlan
Director of photography: Jean-Marc Fabre
Production designer: Michele Abbe-Vannier
Music: Nicola Piovani
Costume designer: Catherine Leterrier
Editor: Sylvie Landra
Cast:
Jessica: Cecile de France
Catherine: Valerie Lemercier
Jean-Francois: Albert Dupontel
Valentine: Laura Morante
Jacques Grumberg: Claude Brasseur
Frederic: Christopher Thompson
Claudie: Dani
Brian
Sydney Pollack
Valerie: Annelise Hesme
No MPAA rating
Running time -- 105 minutes...
- 4/26/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
PARIS -- The Printemps du Cinema, France's annual spring promotion which lures audiences to the movies with cut-price tickets, kicked off Sunday with 1.1 million admissions, a 30% increase over last year's first-day figure, organizers said Monday. The National Federation of French Cinemas (FNCF), which has organized the three-day promotion since 2000, attributed Sunday's turnout to the diversity of new Hollywood and French releases, including The Pink Panther, Underworld: Evolution, French comedies Du jour au lendemain (One Fine Day) and Essaye-moi (Try Me) and black-and-white animation film Renaissance. The holdover strength of earlier releases such as Prime, Fauteuils d'orchestre (Orchestra Seats) and L'Ivresse du pouvoir (Comedy of Power) also contributed to film admissions on the first day. The strong showing Sunday was also helped by French hit comedy Les Bronzes 3 - amis pour la vie (Friends Forever) which crossed 10.1 million admissions this weekend, and another French comedy, Je vous trouve tres beau (You Are So Beautiful), which crossed the 3 million mark, the FNCF added.
- 3/20/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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