France

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Alekos Fassianos, one of the most important modern Greek painters, died Sunday at his home after a long illness, the state news agency ANA reported. He was 86. Alekos Fassianos was born in Athens on Dec. 16, 1935. He studied violin at the Athens Conservatory and painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts from 1955 to 1960. Shortly after his first exhibition in the early 1960s, he went to Paris on a French state scholarship to study lithography at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He ended up staying in Paris for 35 years. Although some of his paintings, especially the early ones, were in a contemporary style, he mostly drew inspiration from Greek popular art and Ancient Greek mythology. He was also inspired by Byzantine themes, although his colorful paintings have little to do with Byzantine austerity. Besides painting and lithography, he also illustrated books, designed theater costumes and settings and dabbled in sculpture. Fassianos was widely celebrated … [Read more...] about Celebrated Greek painter Alekos Fassianos dies at 86

Click here to read the full article. If the six projects presented at a recent TV documentary pitch session held at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris share relatively few thematic or stylistic points in common, when taken as a whole, the diverse titles relay two incontrovertible truths: While advances in filmmaking technology now offer industry creatives unprecedented freedoms, when it comes to hooking the audience, nothing beats a good story well told. Three of the six projects presented at the Rendez-Vous forum reflect the format’s growing technological trends. To offer competing visions of the future, Mad Films/Camera Subjective’s speculative science-fiction project “2080” will use CGI, motion capture and some of the digital production techniques pioneered by Disney’s “The Mandalorian,” whereas to open a window into the past, France Televisions/Program33’s historical doc “The Joan of Arc Case” will use detailed digital recreations of 15th-century France. More from Variety … [Read more...] about Digital Innovation Meets Old Fashioned Storytelling at Unifrance TV Doc Pitch

Click here to read the full article. Iranian-born, France-based actor Golshifteh Farahani , who was nominated for a Cesar for “The Patience Stone,” played in Ridley Scott’s “Body of Lies,” and now stars in the Apple TV Plus drama “Invasion,” will feature alongside Marion Cotillard and Melvil Poupaud in the cast of Arnaud Desplechin ’s “ Brother and Sister ,” Desplechin tells Variety . The French auteur has become a near fixture in Cannes, where 11 of his 12 features have premiered. This year he could very well make a repeat visit, as the filmmaker confirms his new film will be ready for May. More from Variety Ishan Shukla's 'Schirkoa' Animation Begins Motion Capture in France (EXCLUSIVE) Brigette Lundy-Paine, Golshifteh Farahani to Star in 'City of Ghosts' Supernatural Drama Podcast Marion Cotillard on the #MeToo Movement: 'It's a True Revolution' Produced by Why Not Productions and sold by Wild Bunch, “Brother and Sister” will follow a pair … [Read more...] about ‘Invasion’ Star Golshifteh Farahani to Feature Alongside Marion Cotillard in Arnaud Desplechin’s ‘Brother and Sister’ (EXCLUSIVE)

11 WASHINGTON (AP) — By some counts, President Joe Biden can lay claim to a banner first year in office. But numbers also reveal plenty of setbacks. Most in the United States got their COVID-19 vaccines, but other countries fared better. Economic growth surged; so did inflation. America exited Afghanistan, but the war ended with a chaotic evacuation and a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. troops. Pandemic aid and infrastructure bills passed. Pricey legislation to advance Biden's social and climate proposals shrunk and then stalled. Some notable numbers from Biden's first year: —63.5% vaccination rate. Most Americans got jabbed. Countries with higher vaccination rates: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. —3.9% jobless rate. The low unemployment rate is a big highlight of … [Read more...] about By the numbers: Stats that tell story of Biden’s first year

Click here to read the full article. Rising production-distribution player Miam! Animation seems primed for a breakout year in 2022 as the French multi-hyphenate presents its first series produced in-house – using industry trendsetting technology – to buyers, while beginning work on its first international co-production on a project for WarnerMedia. Launched in 2016 as a socially engaged development and distribution outfit, Miam! grew to include an in-house production component in 2019, eventually grouping those three activities under the common banner Miam! Animation in 2020. This past September, the company claimed the distributor/investor of the year prize at 2021’s Cartoon Forum in Toulouse, France. The studio used the opportunity of this year’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris to screen two episodes of its first in-house production, the 52 episode Pre-K series “Edmond & Lucy,” whose uncommon production technique has already drawn a good deal of industry attention. … [Read more...] about Women-Led, Eco-Friendly Miam! Animation Sets Industry Trends With Series Slate (EXCLUSIVE)

Click here to read the full article. Olivier Dahan ’s “Simone, A Woman of the Century” completes the trilogy he began with the Edith Piaf biopic “La Vie en Rose,” starring Marion Cotillard, and “Grace of Monaco,” starring Nicole Kidman. Dahan spoke with Variety during the Unifrance Rendezvous in Paris, where the film had its market premiere. “Simone,” starring Elsa Zylberstein (“Un plus une”) and Rebecca Marder (“Deception”), cuts back and forth across time, as it explores the life of French politician and former President of the European Parliament, Simone Veil (1927-2017), who played a key role in passing abortion legislation in France, protecting rights of prisoners, immigrants, AIDS victims and prostitutes, and preventing torture by French forces during the Algerian war of independence. More from Variety CANNES: 'Grace of Monaco' Won't Be an Oscar Contender (Analysis) CANNES: Nicole Kidman Responds to Royal Family's Objections to 'Grace of Monaco' … [Read more...] about Olivier Dahan on Simone Veil Biopic ‘Simone, A Woman of the Century’

Click here to read the full article. Filmmaker and environmental activist Cyril Dion is planning a follow-up documentary to his Cannes-selected documentary “Animal” as well as his first fiction feature film, adapted from Pierre Ducrozet’s eco-themed novel, “Le Grand Vertige.” Dion first rose to international prominence with his 2015 environmental documentary “Tomorrow,” in which he and co-director Mélanie Laurent highlighted important initiatives underway around the planet. The pic garnered more than a million admissions in France and won a César for Best Documentary Film in 2016. His 2021 documentary “Animal,” produced by Capa Studio and Bright Bright Bright and distributed by Orange Cinema and UGC, premiered in Cannes. It follows two 16-year-old environmentalists, Bella Lack and Vipulan Puvaneswaran, who travel the world and meet experts such as Jane Goodall. Five core causes of mass extinction are shown: habitat loss, overexploitation of species, climate change, … [Read more...] about Environmental Filmmaker Cyril Dion Plans ‘Animal’ Follow-Up, First Fiction Project ‘Le Grand Vertige’

Click here to read the full article. Paris-based sales agent WTFilms , which specializes in genre movies, is presenting Romain Quirot ’s sophomore feature film, “Apache: Gang of Paris,” at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris. The pic is an ambitious revenge movie set in early 20th century Paris, when rival gangs were wreaking havoc. The term apache was coined in Paris at the time, to describe street gangs. “It’s a modern stylish and raw revenge movie,” says WTFilms’ Gregory Chambet. “We hope it will offer a renewal of the French action thriller genre, as Christophe Gans did with ‘Brotherhood of the Wolves’.” More from Variety WTFilms' Gregory Chambet on Riding the New Wave of French Genre Movies 'Vikings' Star Gaia Weiss Joins 'Meander'; WTFilms Unveils First Still (EXCLUSIVE) WTFilms Boards 'Escobar by Escobar,' 'Selfie,' 'Wipe Out' (EXCLUSIVE) Quirot’s freshman pic, cosmic road movie “The Last Journey,” starring Jean Reno, won Best Film at Sitges … [Read more...] about WTFilms Launches ‘Apache: Gang of Paris’ at Unifrance Rendez-Vous

5 BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the former president of Mali who took office in a landmark election held after a destabilizing coup only to be ousted in another military takeover nearly seven years later, has died. He was 76. Keita, known to Malians by his initials IBK, had been in declining health since his forced resignation in August 2020, and had sought medical treatment in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, shortly after his release from junta custody. The transitional government, which is still led by the man who ousted Keita from power 18 months ago, issued a statement saying that his death Sunday in Bamako followed “a long illness.” “The government of the Republic of Mali and the Malian people salute the memory of the late great,” the statement said, adding that funeral details would come later. The news comes as the turbulent West African nation faces a deepening political crisis, with coup leader Col. Assimi … [Read more...] about Mali’s ex-President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita dies at 76