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A project initially scheduled for a 2023 shoot has finally been greenlit, with Cineuropa confirming that Meryem Benm’Barek has been filming her sophomore feature since midway point last month. Behind the Palm Trees stars Sara Giraudeau and Driss Ramdi in leading roles, with strong support from Carole Bouquet, Olivier Rabourdin, Rachel O’Meara, and Nadia Kounda. Benm’Barek’s debut feature Sofia was a 2018 Cannes Un Certain Regard selection – winning the Best Screenplay in the section. Production is taking place in Tangier and Benm’Barek has re-teamed with her cinematographer Son Doan. A project was part of the 2022 Atlas Workshops in Marrakech, Tessalit Productions’ Jean Bréhat is producing.…...

It’s been over a year since we said goodbye to the Roy family and their dysfunctional dealings on HBO’s top-tier “Succession,” and while we still have a Waystar RoyCo-sized hole in our hearts, there’s thankfully no shortage of workplace and family drama on our TVs, from “The Bear” to another recent HBO hit, “Industry,” which just wrapped up its third season with its water-cooler finale.

However, if your favorites are on hiatus and you’re looking for more industry drama for your days off, Apple TV ’s new French fashion drama “La Maison” is the perfect fit!

7-Day Free Trial $9.99 / month apple.com About “La Maison”

Created by José Caltagirone and Valentine Milville, the French-language family drama takes place within a Paris-based high-fashion atelier, where two “illustrious, dysfunctional, and powerful rival families… vie for dominance in the cutthroat world of high fashion.” After century-old legendary haute couture...

Alright, I'm going to be real with you guys. This weekend it's a little limited on what new shows and premieres are coming. Though, there's still some great options. And that's also thanks to the many debuts we had earlier in the week. The weekend is going to be your best time to catch up on anything you missed, after all. Here's 6 shows to watch on streaming this weekend, Sept. 28 - Sept. 29, 2024.

Everybody Still Hates Chris - premiered on Comedy Central/Paramount Wednesday, Sept. 25Grotesquerie - premiered on FX/Hulu Wednesday, Sept. 25Midnight Family - premiered on Apple TV Wednesday, Sept. 25La Maison - episode 3 on Apple TV Friday, Sept. 27The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - The Book of Carol - season 2 premiere on AMC Sunday, Sept. 29The Penguin - episode 2 on HBO/Max Sunday, Sept. 29 (shifted to new release day)

Want to learn a bit more about a couple of these shows?...

La Maison is a new drama series that takes viewers into the stylish yet cutthroat world of high fashion. Created by José Caltagirone and Valentine Milville, the 10-episode, one-season show was released in 2024 exclusively on Apple TV . At its center are two of Paris’s most prominent fashion houses, the old-guard Ledu and the larger luxury conglomerate Rovel, as their rivalry turns personal.

Ledu has been a leading name in the industry for generations, led by the esteemed yet arrogant Vincent Ledu. But when a viral video exposes Vincent’s racist remarks, he loses his position of power. Meanwhile, ambitious Diane Rovel sees an opportunity to acquire her rival’s esteemed brand for her growing luxury empire.

As the drama unfolds, family secrets emerge while new allegiances form. Perle Foster, Vincent’s former muse, rises to steer Ledu through turbulent waters. She brings on young upstart Paloma Castel, hoping her...

As a setting for a TV show, fashion is a little like the restaurant industry: a rich, untapped source of detail and conflict, hindered by the logistical complexity of bringing its insular world to the screen. And just as “The Bear” was preceded by a legion of competitive reality shows, plus a misbegotten adaptation of Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential” starring a young Bradley Cooper, the French drama “La Maison” is the latest of many attempts to make couture into compelling drama. “Project Runway” remains an unscripted institution, but recent scripted efforts have ranged from dutifully reverential (“Becoming Karl Lagerfeld”) to confoundingly inept.

Unlike these earlier series, which fictionalized the lives of icons like Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel, “La Maison” gives itself the freedom to take liberties. Perhaps relatedly, it’s by far the strongest of the recent efforts to graft fashion onto entertainment. Created and showrun by...

La Maison, Apple TV’s newest series, plunges viewers into the tumultuous world of Vincent Ledu, a renowned fashion designer whose family’s iconic couture house, Ledu, is teetering on the brink of collapse. Played by Lambert Wilson, Vincent is not only grappling with the pressure of maintaining his legacy but also facing a deeply personal betrayal.

His estranged brother, once a close confidant, has aligned himself with Diane Rovel, the powerful owner of a rival fashion house. Diane, portrayed by acclaimed French actress Carole Bouquet, is Vincent’s fiercest competitor. Together, they threaten to dismantle everything he’s built. Their complex relationships add layers of family drama and professional rivalry to the series. To make matters worse, Vincent’s reputation takes a hit after a leaked video surfaces in which he makes racially insensitive remarks.

HeyUGuys had the opportunity to discuss these intense dynamics with Lambert Wilson, Carole Bouquet,...

Una mirada entre bastidores al mundo contemporáneo y cambiante de la moda y el lujo franceses. © Apple TV

Apple TV ha presentado el tráiler de La Maison, una serie ambientada en un icónico taller de alta costura en París.

La Maison sigue a dos familias rivales ilustres, disfuncionales y poderosas, que compiten por dominar el despiadado mundo de la alta costura. Cuando un escándalo afecta a la icónica casa de modas, la familia debe reinventarse con la ayuda de una joven diseñadora para salvar y reconstruir la centenaria Maison Ledu. Aprovechando todo esto, la despiadada directora ejecutiva del poderoso grupo de lujo Rovel, lanza una ofensiva para adquirir lo que considera su premio más importante: Maison Ledu. Se trata de algo más que adquirir una nueva marca; se trata de venganza.

La serie de 10 episodios está protagonizada por Lambert Wilson (De Gaulle), Amira Casar (Call me by your name), Carole Bouquet...

From Presumed Innocent to Constellation, Apple TV has given subscribers some of the best shows of 2024. But the year is not over! In fact, up ahead is the best time of the year, Fall TV! What does the streamer Apple TV have in store for us in the month of September 2024? We’re here to highlight some great upcoming releases.

Kicking off the month of September, we’ve got Slow Horses season 4 dropping on Sept. 4. The series, created by Mick Herron, stars Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Saskia Reeves, and others. Slow Horses is one of Apple TV ’s biggest shows, quickly gaining followers after its debut in April 2022. The story follows a department of “MI5 service rejects” who failed a mission but are not fired. In the series description from Apple TV , it is described as “administrative purgatory.”

This is not a department you want to be a part of,...

The new 10-episode, Paris-based, high-fashion drama series “La Maison”, directed by Fabrice Gobert and Daniel Grou, streams September 20, 2024 on AppleTV :

“…follow two illustrious, dysfunctional and powerful rival families as they vie for dominance in the cutthroat world of high fashion.

“High fashion meets high stakes in this behind-the-curtain look at how an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer ‘Vincent Ledu’ (Lambert Wilson), leaving his family's iconic and legendary haute couture house, ‘Ledu’ hanging by a thread.

“‘Perle Foster’ (Amira Casar), Vincent's former muse who is still in his shadow, teams up with visionary next-generation designer ‘Paloma Castel’ (Zita Hanrot) to save, evolve and renew the century-old ‘Maison Ledu’.

“Taking advantage of Vincent's demise, ‘Diane Rovel’ (Carole Bouquet), the ruthless CEO of the powerful ‘Rovel’ luxury group, launches an offensive to acquire what she sees as her most important prize: Maison Ledu.

Am 20. September startet die zehnteilige Modeserie „La Maison“ bei Apple TV . Jetzt wurde der Trailer veröffentlicht.

„La Maison“ basiert auf einer Idee von Alex Berger, der auch als ausführender Produzent fungiert. Entwickelt wurde die zehnteilige Serie über zwei um die Vorherrschaft in der Pariser Modewelt kämpfende Familien, von den Showrunnern José Caltagirone und Velentine Milville, Regie führten Fabrice Gobert und Daniel Grou.

Vor der Kamera sind der siebenfache César-Gewinner Lambert Wilson, die César-Gewinner Carole Bouquet, Zita Hanrot, Pierre Deladonchamps, Antoine Reinartz, Anne Consigny und Florence Loiret Caille sowie die César-nominierte Amira Casar zu sehen.

Apple TV startet „La Maison” am 20. September mit zwei Episoden; bis zum 15. November folgt jeweils freitags eine weitere neue Episode.

Apple TV today unveiled the trailer and key art for La Maison, the upcoming French-language family drama set within an iconic Paris-based high-fashion atelier.

A behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary ever-evolving world of fashion and aspirational French elegance and luxury, La Maison follows two rival illustrious, dysfunctional, and powerful families as they vie for dominance in the cutthroat high-fashion world.

The 10-episode original series will debut globally with the first two episodes on Friday, September 20, 2024, on Apple TV , followed by one episode weekly on Fridays through November 15, 2024.

High fashion meets high stakes in this behind-the-curtain look at how an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer Vincent Ledu (Lambert Wilson), leaving his family’s iconic and legendary haute couture house, Ledu, hanging by a thread.

Perle Foster (Amira Casar), Vincent’s former muse still in his shadow, collaborates with visionary next-generation...

Apple TV has announced the programming that will be added to the streaming service next month. The Apple TV Plus September 2024 lineup includes the family drama series La Maison, the medical drama series Midnight Family, the fourth season of the spy thriller series Slow Horses, and the action comedy film Wolfs.

Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment. It is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens.

Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Tcl and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at the Apple site.

Slow Horses Season 4 Apple TV Plus September 2024 Schedule

Available September...

Apple TV today revealed a first look at ‘La Maison,’ the upcoming French-language 10-episode one-hour family drama set within an iconic Paris-based high-fashion atelier.

A behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary ever-evolving world of fashion and aspirational French elegance and luxury, the series follows two rival illustrious, dysfunctional and powerful families as they vie for dominance in the cutthroat world of high fashion.

High fashion meets high stakes in this behind-the-curtain, look at how an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer Vincent Ledu (Lambert Wilson), leaving his family’s iconic and legendary haute couture house Ledu hanging by a thread. Perle Foster (Amira Casar), Vincent’s former muse who is still in his shadow, teams up with next-generation, visionary designer Paloma Castel (Zita Hanrot) to save, evolve and renew the century-old Maison Ledu. Taking advantage of Vincent’s demise, Diane Rovel...

Today, Apple TV revealed a first look at La Maison, the upcoming 10-episode, one-hour, French-language family drama set within an iconic Paris-based high-fashion atelier.

A behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary, ever-evolving world of fashion and aspirational French elegance and luxury, La Maison follows two illustrious, dysfunctional, and powerful rival families as they vie for dominance in the cutthroat world of high fashion.

The series will make its global debut with the first two episodes on Friday, September 20, 2024, on Apple TV . It will then air one episode weekly on Fridays through November 15, 2024.

High fashion meets high stakes in this behind-the-curtain look at how an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer Vincent Ledu (Lambert Wilson), leaving his family’s iconic and legendary haute couture house, Ledu, hanging by a thread.

Perle Foster (Amira Casar), Vincent’s former muse still in his shadow,...

French producer Dimitri Rassam is enjoying a high-profile Cannes Film Festival as producer of Competition title Limonov: The Ballad and The Count Of Monte Cristo, which scored a rousing 12-minute ovation at its Out of Competition debut.

“It’s my first film in Competition, it has been a tremendous ride,” says Rassam, who is a producer on Limonov under his Paris-based Chapter 2 banner, alongside Italy’s Lorenzo Gangarossa and Mario Gianani as well as director Kirill Serebrennikov’s long-time collaborator Ilya Stewart.

Rassam is no stranger to the Cannes red carpet having regularly accompanied his actress mother Carole Bouquet in his early 20s, before mounting the festival’s famed steps in his own right as the producer of The Little Prince and co-producer of L’Immensità.

Cinema is also in his blood on his paternal side through late producer father Jean-Pierre Rassam, and uncle Paul Rassam, the long-time friend and collaborator...

"Help with the ball and I'll get you out of here." Madman Films from Australia has just revealed the main international trailer for a French dramatic thriller titled Party of Fools, which is the updated English title for this film originally known as Captives in French. It premiered last year and already opened in France in January, but has no US date yet - expected sometime later in the year. Based on a true story taking place in Paris in 1894, at the Salpêtrière Hospital, one year after the death of Prof. Jean-Martin Charcot. A young woman named Fanni voluntarily allowed herself to be locked up in the Salpêtrière hospital in order to look for her mother. A ball is being prepared there... Searching among the multitude of so-called "madwomen", she discovers a community of modern heroines who defy all of her expectations, along with the unexpected friendship of fellow patients.

Alanté Kavaité’s third film The Islanders, about a woman taking care of a group of elderly people on a remote island off the coast of France, has been acquired by Elle Driver, which will start selling the film at the EFM.

The Islanders is now in post. It stars Nadia Tereszkiewicz with Dali Bensallah, Daphné Pataki and veteran talents Miou-Miou and Patrick Chesnais. Tereszkiewicz won the Cesar breakout award in 2023 for roles in Forever Young and The Red Island. Bensallah’s credits include Athena.

Kavaité’s credits include the coming-of-age story The Summer Of Sangaile, for which she won...

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...

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.

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,...

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,...

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 Daniel Craig era of James Bond movies started strong with Martin Campbell's "Casino Royale" in 2006. Audiences reacted incredibly well to the gruffer, more brutal version of the character, as he fit handily into the world's post-9/11 political hopelessness. A dandyish cartoon James Bond did not fit into the zeitgeist of the '00s, and the character became Dionysian and brutish rather than Apollonian and refined. 

The Craig Bond films also introduced a novel concept into the franchise: each film was a direct sequel of the one that preceded it. Ordinarily, Bond films stood on their own, not requiring much knowledge of the films that came before. Now, bad guys could be set up in one picture only to pay off in a later chapter. 

Sam Mendes' 2015 film "Spectre" was a prime example of this. Throughout the preceding three movies, James Bond discovered increasingly suspicious clues that a massive...

Iconic French fashion house La Maison is to be spotlighted in an Apple TV drama series starring seven-time César Award nominee Lambert Wilson.

La Maison will take a behind-the-curtain look at how a family dynasty of an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer Vincent LeDu (Wilson), leaving his family’s legendary haute couture house hanging by a thread. Perle Foster (Amira Casar), Vincent’s former muse who is still in his shadow, teams up with next-generation, visionary designer Paloma Castel (Zita Hanrot) to save and recreate the century-old Maison Ledu, claiming their rightful place in both the LeDu family and the fashion world.

Related: 2023 Apple TV Pilots & Series Orders

Wilson, who played The Merovingian in The Matrix trilogy and is this year’s Locarno Jury President, leads a cast featuring Carole Bouquet (En Thérapie), Zita Hanrot (Fatima), Pierre Deladonchamps (Stranger by the Lake...

The Paris sales outfit is also handling Pablo Berger’s ‘Robot Dreams’ in Official Selection.

Paris-based sales powerhouse Elle Driver has added Greek director Alexandros Avranas’ Apathy, now in pre-production, to its line-up heading into Cannes.

Apathy is a drama exploring the real-life phenomenon of ‘resignation syndrome’, a catatonic state that has affected around 700 refugee children in Sweden, sparking a wave of concern among doctors and politicians. Told from the perspective of a family, Apathy follows the parents as they struggle in their daily lives and gives a voice to the children. The multi-territory co-production is produced by France’s...

The Paris sales outfit is also handling Pablo Berger’s ‘Robot Dreams’ in Official Selection.

Paris-based sales powerhouse Elle Driver has added Greek director Alexandros Avranas’ Apathy, now in pre-production, to its line-up heading into Cannes.

Apathy is a drama exploring the real-life phenomenon of ‘resignation syndrome’, a catatonic state that has affected around 700 refugee children in Sweden, sparking a wave of concern among doctors and politicians. Told from the perspective of a family, Apathy follows the parents as they struggle in their daily lives and gives a voice to the children. The multi-territory co-production is produced by France’s...

Tinto Brass, director of cult classic Caligula screening 40 years on as part of Cannes Classics Photo: Film Italia One of the last sections to be revealed for the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival - the Cannes Classics - will include appearances from Liv Ullmann, Jim Jarmusch, Carole Bouquet, and Helen Mirren as well as special focus on the late Jean-Luc Godard including a world premiere of his last work Phony Wars.

Ullmann talks about her career as an actor and director as well as her activism in a new documentary Liv Ullmann - A Road Less Travelled, director Dheeraj Akolkar who will also be present for the screening.

Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan (both founder members of the group Sqürl) have composed the soundtrack to a restored version of Return to Reason, Man Ray’s experimental first film made in 1923.

A youthful Jean-Luc Godard Photo: © Philippe R. Doumic...

Screen’s team looks at which titles are lining up for a potential slot in either Official Selection or one of the parallel sections.

Speculation is mounting about which titles could make the line-up for the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which runs May 16-27 this year.

The submission process for Official Selection officially closes on March 21, ahead of the traditional Paris press conference in mid-April (the date is currently to be confirmed).

As filmmakers, producers and sales agents scramble to submit final titles, Screen’s team assesses which films from around the world are lining up for...

Emily Atef, who is presenting her latest film, “Someday We’ll Tell Each Other Everything,” in competition at the Berlin Film Festival, just moved to Paris to direct “La Maison,” a series depicting a fictional family-owned French luxury fashion empire.

While discussing “Someday We’ll Tell Each Other Everything” ahead of its world premiere, Atef told Variety that “La Maison” will be filled with a lot of drama and tragicomedy. “It’s very Shakespearean. There’s so much beauty and luxury with old mansions in Brittany, Parisian ‘hotel particuliers,’ and then behind all that there’s so much human poverty, and you see them ripping each other appart for power,” said Atef, who will direct the pilot and three more episodes.

The series was created and penned by Jose Caltagirone (“Les Combattantes”) and Valentine Milville (“The Bureau”), and will star a high-profile French ensemble cast, including Lambert Wilson (“Benedetta”), Carole Bouquet (“En Therapie...

Lockdown Tower has sold to UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America, and German-speaking Europe

Paris-based sales company Elle Driver has closed a slew of sales for Guillaume Nicloux’s Lockdown Tower and Yann Samuell’s The Lulus ahead of Unifrance’s annual Rendez-Vous in Paris.

Lockdown Tower has sold to Signature Entertainment for the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, to California Filmes for Latin America and to Capelight for German-speaking Europe. Other sales include Vie Vision Pictures for Taiwan, Klockworks in Japan, Media4Fun in Poland, Nk Contents in Korea and Capella Film for Cis and the Baltics.

Diane Kruger will partner with French pay-tv leader Canal to star in an hour-long documentary retracing the life and career of Romy Schneider, with production set to begin next week.

Produced by Canal Docs and directed by Marjory Déjardin, the film is part of a larger series called “Elle parle d’Elle” (She Talks About Her), which centers on contemporary stars as they explore the lives of 20th century icons, creating echoes between the two subjects. Previous installments found Carole Bouquet retracing the steps of Coco Chanel, for example.

“[Romy Schneider] really was the reason I wanted to become an actor and to study acting in France,” Kruger tells Variety from the Marrakech Film Festival. “There’s sort of a parallel drawn to my own life and where I’m from, so that should be interesting.”

Of course, long before this documentary project – which will find Kruger interviewing Schneider’s fans and...

Click here to read the full article.

Not since a teenage Elizabeth Taylor rode her steed to victory in National Velvet has a film about a kid and a horse proven such an effective tearjerker as Christian Duguay’s French drama about a young girl who doesn’t let a terrible accident prevent her from pursuing her dream of becoming a jockey. The film may feel predictable at times in its plot machinations, but it nonetheless exerts a solid emotional pull that should make it a crowd-pleaser upon its theatrical release next month in its native country. Ride Above recently received its U.S. premiere as the centerpiece film of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.

The story begins in 2001, when Zoe is born in a racehorse stable owned by her parents at the same time as a horse named Beautiful Intrigue. Zoe and Beautiful Intrigue grow up together, with...

Exclusive: French film actress Judith Godrèche is making her debut as a TV director debut with an A24-backed comedy series inspired by her life.

A24 is co-producing Icon of French Cinema with Franco-German channel Arte and Cpb Films on the English- and French-language project, which stars and is inspired by arthouse icon Godrèche’s life and career. Production is set to begin later this year.

Godrèche will play her fictional alter ego, and will be joined by Liz Kingsman (Borderline, Parlement), Angela Molina (Etreintes Brisées), her daughter Tess Barthélémy (Under the Eiffel Tower), Laurent Stocker (Jeux d’influence, Caprice), Thomas Scimeca (Azuro, Notre Dame), Loïc Corbery (Dom Juan, Pas son genre) and Jean-Christophe Folly (Triangle of Sadness), with the special participation of Carole Bouquet.

Icon of French Cinema will follow Judith as she returns to Paris after exile from Hollywood, intent of making a comeback with a new movie.

French cinema professionals from across the country’s independent production, distribution and exhibition chain flocked to an emergency general convention in Paris this week to raise the alarm over the future of their industry.

France has long prided itself on being the most cinephile country on the planet, but there is a growing sense among its indie cinema sector that the population has fallen out of love with the seventh art in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Figures released by the National Cinema Centre (Cnc) last week revealed the worst September box office for the country in 42 years, with 7.38 million entries, for a rough box office of 47m, representing a 20.7 drop on September 2021, and a 34.3 fall on the same month in 2019.

Admissions for the first nine months of 2022 are currently trailing 30 below the average for the same period from 2017-2019. September’s drop was due in part to a lack of big U.

France is struggling to adapt to changing audience habits.

The French film world is gearing up for a second week of high-stakes drama as two key industry-wide meetings aim to take on the windows issue and, in a related move, France’s cherished independent film financing model.

They come hot on the heels of a week that saw France’s big three free-to-air broadcasters slam the US streamers in a letter in ‘Le Monde’, the Cnc was forced to defend its president Dominque Boutonnat, following news he would stand trial for sexual assault, and an industry backlash against the latest...

Jack Hedley, who appeared in films including “For Your Eyes Only” opposite Roger Moore, died on Dec. 11. He was 92.

His death was confirmed by a notice in The Times of London, which reads: “[Hedley] died on 11th December 2021, aged 92, after a short illness bravely borne. At his request there will be no funeral. He will be much missed by his family and friends.”

The actor racked up 99 credits in a career spanning five decades as well as numerous appearances in the theater.

Born in London as Jack Hawkins, he changed his last name at the outset of his career to avoid confusion with a prolific British actor of the same name.

Hedley appeared in numerous British productions including “Colditz,” in which he played Lt. Colonel Preston, and “The Scarlet Blade,” directed by John Gilling. He also had parts in American war epic “The Longest Day,” which starred John Wayne, Robert Ryan and Richard Burton,...

Gaumont has come on board “Fantasies,” a sex-themed French comedy headlined by Monica Bellucci (“Spectre”), Carole Bouquet (“For Your Eyes Only”) and Karine Viard (“Famille Belier”).

Directed by David and Stephane Foenkinos, the omnibus film follows six couples and revolves around their intimate lives and fantasies, from role-playing to exhibitionism and abstinence.

Besides Bellucci, Bouquet and Viard, the film stars Suzanne Clément (“Mommy”), Jean-Paul Rouve (“C’est la Vie!”), Joséphine Japy (“Love at Second Sight”), Denis Podalydès (“An Officer and a Spy”), Céline Sallette (“The Returned”), Nicolas Bedos (“Mr & Mrs Adelman”), Ramzy Bedia (“Lost Bullet”), Alice Taglioni (“Claire Darling”), Joséphine de Meaux (“Dheepan”) and William Lebghil (“C’est la Vie!”)

“Fantasies” is in post-production and will be released in France by Gaumont during the second semester of 2021. Gaumont is handling international sales on the movie and will introduce it to buyers at the American Film Market, which kicks off Monday.

“With its glamorous cast,...

The Criterion Collection will be heralding in 2021 with a mix of new and old. First up, Bing Liu’s stellar documentary Minding the Gap will be joining the collection, as will another documentary, Martin Scorsese’s playful Rolling Thunder Revue. Also arriving is a three-film Luis Buñuel box set focusing on his late career, featuring The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Phantom of Liberty, and That Obscure Object of Desire. Larisa Shepitko’s final, harrowing feature The Ascent will also be getting a release.

Check out the cover art and special features below, and see more on Criterion’s website.

New high-definition digital master, approved by director Bing Liu, with 5.1 surround DTS-hd Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-rayNew audio commentary featuring Liu and documentary subjects Keire Johnson and Zack MulliganNew follow-up conversation between Liu and documentary subject Nina BowgrenNew programs featuring interviews with professional skateboarder Tony Hawk and with Liu,...

A good French farce can be truly something special. The way those films are able to mix comedy, romance, and more is quite something. On a Magical Night (formerly known as Chambre 212) seeks to somewhat follow in those footsteps, presenting a comic fantasy that mixes whimsy and even some sexiness. Unfortunately, the mixture is a little off, the material is a little too packed into a short running time, and the satisfaction level is lower than desired. This is not to say that the flick is bad, since that couldn’t be further from the truth. It simply hints at a much better effort than what we ultimately have on hand. The movie is a comedy, with some fantastical elements to it. At its core, it’s about how we all wonder about the roads not taken, specifically when it comes to our romantic interests. Specifically, it’s through...

On A Magical Night Strand Releasing Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net linked from Rotten Tomatoes by: Harvey Karten Director: Christophe Honoré Screenwriter: Christophe Honoré Cast: Chiara Mastoianni, Benjamin Biolay, Vincent Lacoste, Kolia Abiteboul, Camille Cottin, Carole Bouquet Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 5/4/20 Opens: May 8, 2020 “The French don’t care what they do, actually, […]

The post On a Magical Night Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

"What if you gave back what you took?" Strand Releasing has debuted an official Us trailer for a film titled On a Magical Night, a French comedy formerly known as Chambre 212 (aka Room 212) when it initially premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year. This is the latest from sultry French filmmaker Christophe Honoré and deals with a woman who leaves her husband and moves into a hotel opposite of her home. There she wonders if she made the right decision, re-examining her entire life with him. Award-winning French actress Chiara Mastroianni stars, with Benjamin Biolay, Vincent Lacoste, Camille Cottin, and Carole Bouquet. Nothing like a French comedy about infidelity and marriage, right? This one looks whimsical and amusing. Here's the official Us trailer ( posters) for Christophe Honoré's On a Magical Night, from YouTube: After 20 years of marriage, Maria (Chiara Mastroianni) decides to leave. She moves to...

The 1994 Sundance Film Festival may have been immortalized by Kevin Smith’s “Clerks,” but Boaz Yakin’s debut “Fresh” made out well enough. After scripting “Punisher” and “The Rookie,” Yakin directed a spry African American crime drama that put his career on a steady upward trajectory. That culminated in 2000 football hit “Remember the Titans,” which grossed $136.7 million and suggested a bright future in the studio system.

Yakin, however, wasn’t sure he wanted that. His latest movie, “Aviva,” marks his most personal movie in 30 years — and only would have been possible with those decades of roadblocks behind him. “I was a super-hot director after ‘Remember the Titans,’ and everyone in Hollywood wanted to work with me,” the 53-year-old New Yorker said in a recent interview. “I was being offered gigantic movies. I just had this moment where I was like, oh no, if I go down this road, I’m...

France’s Series Mania, one of Europe’s biggest TV festivals, has been canceled following new French government coronavirus health restrictions.

“Series Mania attracts 80,000 festival attendees and 3,000 industry professionals every year. Given the French government’s ban of meetings of over 1,000 people and numerous restrictions on the travel of French and international delegates, we’ve decided to cancel the event,” Series Mania president Rodolphe Belmer announced Wednesday.

“It is with great sadness that we have had to make this difficult decision. However, our utmost concern is for the safety and well-being of our valued clients, guests, and staff who have invested so much time these past few months,” said Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania.

“I would also like to thank every creator, talent, producer, and broadcaster who have trusted us since the beginning. To our audiences, professionals, politicians, and industry leaders, we will be back stronger...

The organizers of Series Mania have said the international TV drama event will go ahead in France this month, despite the coronavirus threat.

Set to take place from March 20-28 in the northeastern French city of Lille, Series Mania said it didn’t fall into the category of gatherings of more than 5,000 people in a confined space that were forbidden by the French government over the weekend.

In a briefing note titled, ‘The Series Mania Festival And Forum Will Go Ahead,’ the event said: “Given the audience capacities and attendance figures for festival locations, including movie theaters, the Nouveau Siècle auditorium, Lille Grand Palais, the Tri Postal, and so on, all events comprising the Series Mania Festival and Forum will be going ahead as planned.”

Series Mania added that hygiene and information measures would be put in place, including the provision of hand sanitizers across all festival locations, and...

Paris — “Narcos” showrunner Chris Brancato and “Godfather of Harlem” star Giancarlo Esposito, actors Carole Bouquet and Zabou Breitman, and the cast and crew behind the Canal Plus series “The Bureau” will be among the many guest of honor at this year’s Series Mania, which will kick off its 11th edition on March 20.

Returning to the north-eastern French city of Lille, Series Mania will once again offer a broad cross-section of international scripted dramas, with a selection culled from 25 different countries including Chile, Peru, Niger, Senegal and South Korea, alongside high profile productions from the U.S., the U.K. and France.

Among the 38 productions world premiering in Lille, the BBC/Tvnz literary adaption “The Luminaries,” with Eva Green, will play as opening series while the closer remains unannounced.

Once again, Netflix makes a strong showing this year. Beyond bringing the cast and crew of their Paris-set drama “The Eddy,...

French actor Claudine Auger, who broke through internationally with her part opposite Sean Connery in the James Bond film “Thunderball,” has died. She was 78.

Auger’s talent agency Art Time announced the news and said she had died in Paris.

Auger started her acting career with a small part in the 1958 film “Christine,” in which she starred alongside Romy Schneider and Alain Delon. She then appeared in Jean Cocteau’s 1960 film “Testament Of Orpheus.”

She was the first French actress to be cast as a “Bond girl” in a movie with the dashing British spy, years ahead of Lea Seydoux, Sophie Marceau, Eva Green and Carole Bouquet. In 1965’s “Thunderball,” she played “Domino,” a femme fatale and mistress of Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) who falls in love with Bond and helps him bring down a criminal organization. She reportedly won the role over Raquel Welch, Faye Dunaway and Julie Christie.

Claudine Auger, who played Domino opposite Sean Connery in Thunderball has died.

The actress died in Paris on Thursday, according to her agent, reports Afp. She was 78.

Before Léa Seydoux, Eva Green and Carole Bouquet, Auger was the first French actress to star opposite 007 appearing in the Bond series’ fourth entry in 1965.

Born Claudine Oger in Paris, she began her career as a model before representing France and becoming runner-up in the 1958 Miss World competition.

Turning to acting, she appeared on stage and in films including Jean Cocteau’s The Testament of Orpheus in 1960 before winning the part in Thunderball...

“The Intouchables” directors Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, whose latest film, “The Specials,” played on closing night at Cannes, are set to make their TV debut with a French adaptation of the hit Israeli series “BeTipul” (“In Treatment).”

Commissioned by the Franco-German network Arte, the French makeover, “En Therapie,” will be directed by Toledano, Nakache, Mathieu Vadepied (“La Vie en Grand”), Pierre Salvadori (“En liberté!”) and Nicolas Pariser (“Alice and the Mayor”).

The series is set in Paris in the aftermath of the terror attacks of Nov. 13, 2015. It revolves around a therapist, Philippe Dayan, played by Frédéric Pierrot, and some of his patients: a surgeon going through an emotional crisis (Melanie Thierry), a couple on the verge of breaking up (Anaïs Demoustier and Pio Marmaï), and a suicidal teenager (Céleste Brunnquell). Days after the attacks, Dayan, whose office is located near the Bataclan theater, receives a visit from a cop (Read Kateb) suffering from trauma.

TF1, France’s top commercial network, is joining forces with Netflix for the first time to co-finance “Le Bazar de la Charité,” a high-profile period series inspired by a real-life tragedy and written by Catherine Ramberg (“The Source”) and Karine Spreuzkouski.

Co-produced by Quad Télévision and TF1, the eight-part series unfolds in Paris in November 1897 and revolves around the consequences of a devastating fire which destroyed the building known as the Bazar de la Charité, where a large charity event was taking place. The fire caused more than 130 deaths, mainly high-society women and their entourages.

The series, which is being directed by Alexandre Laurent (“La Mante”), follows the romantic journey of three women, Adrienne De Lenverpre, Alice De Jeansin and her maid, Rose Rivière, who see their destinies turned upside-down from identity theft, forbidden love, betrayal and emancipation.

The cast is headlined by Audrey Fleurot, Julie De Bona (“Le Tueur du Lac...

Royal baby news! Charlotte Casiraghi and fiancé Dimitri Rassam have welcomed a baby boy, People reports. According to the outlet, the eldest daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco gave birth to the couple's son on Tuesday morning at Princess Grace Hospital, which is named after Charlotte's grandmother, Grace Kelly. This is the first child for the couple, while Charlotte also has a son from her previous relationship with Gad Elmaleh. Charlotte gave birth to her first son, Raphaël, in Dec. 2013. Dimitri, who is the son of French actress and model Carole Bouquet, also has a daughter from his marriage to model Masha Novoselova. Dimitri and Masha tied the knot in 2010 and welcomed...