NEWS:  JANUARY/FEBRUARY  2017

 

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20 February 2017

I've added a few more photos to the MEP section showing Vincent's photography exhibition. Catherine Schwaab of Paris Match attended the opening on Tuesday night. She wrote, "It was the Congolese sappers, his models, who set the mood. Elegant and cheerful, in multicolored costumes, they dressed Vincent with a lurex jacket for him to pose with them. No way of staying gray, my friend!"

Vincent pointed out that Africans are actually less inhibited in front of a photographer. Ms. Schwaab said the portraits were affordable - 5000 euros for small formats and 8000 for large ones. At the end of the night, everyone, Chinese, French and Africans, dined at a nearby restaurant.

Artscape.fr wrote that Vincent, influenced by Martin Parr and his use of the circular flash in spite of the full sun, captures portraits with a slight blur - almost like a painting - representing girls and sappers who have an identity, a role. Vincent said, "I did not want staged pictures but images sketched in the daily life of the onlookers and locals. Fortuitous, sudden, hazardous encounters. A few seconds clipped from their day."

The second section of the exhibition shows portraits of Russians. Vincent said, "Today their life is complex, divided between a need for individual emancipation and a restraint deeply linked to the history of the country." Artscape summed up the exhibition with "Questioning the creative process at the borders of destruction and identity issues is at the heart of this striking photographic journey."

On the Mowwgli web site, Dominique Vautrin wrote, "If you pass by the MEP before April 9, do not miss the exhibition on the third floor called 'Identités' by Vincent Perez. Divided into two parts are 'The Parisians' and 'The Russians'. His portraits are identified as encounters... One stops instantly on the strength and dignity that emerge from these different portraits. The neutrality, the smile or the hardness of the person arouses in us an intriguing and emphatic dimension... The beauty of the colors that emanates from the sun shines on the classical scenography of the exhibition. The walls are gray and mauve light, all in a well-lit environment. Unfortunately, there is a shortage in the second room for Russian portraits, but that does not prevent us from seeing something tender in the eyes of these veterans of work. The photographic technique is impeccable and the framing of the prints avoids the reflection. This exhibition could have been called 'Identity, Humanity'. Vincent Perez is a worthy actor of contemporary photography."

Michèle Warnet of Les Echos wrote, "In the boxes, all ticked by Vincent Perez, actor, screenwriter, director, we must add that of photographer, accomplished portraitist... His photographs express the strong individuality of his subjects. A portraiture that tracks pure expression, 'when the mask falls'. In the flash of the flash, if need be. More than faces, Vincent Perez seizes slices of life in a frontal and benevolent way. A quest that draws its source in the exercise of cinematographic realization. 'Actor, director, photographer... it's the same way for me, the same gesture. It's a way of getting into the lives of others,' Vincent says simply in the form of a key to the creative energy that animates him."

There's a Chinese interview with Vincent in French that you can view at this youtube link.

Here's an ensemble photo from the upcoming film CHACUN SA VIE:

I discovered this youtube video that was recorded on December 3, 2016 when Vincent was in Lausanne, Switzerland attending an advance premiere of ALONE IN BERLIN at Cinéma Capitole. It runs about 43 minutes and begins with an introduction to the film and during this time his 14-year-old daughter Tess comes up on the stage to join him and sings this lovely song while her proud father looks on. Very sweet! Click on the photo below to view the video.

 
08 February 2017

Paris  - Maison Européenne de la Photographie - Vincent Perez - Identités

 

 

 

 

For more photos, view gallery
 
06 February 2017

Fourteen-year-old Tess appears to be following her older sister Iman into the fashion industry. Here she is modeling clothes for Juliette Swilden's teen collection for Spring-Summer 2017. If you click on the photo below, the link will feature more of her photos. 

 
03 February 2017

Both the trailer and poster for CHACUN SA VIE (Everyone's Life) have been released in the past week. Because Vincent has a minor role in the Claude Lelouth comedy, he is neither shown in the trailer nor the poster. Boo-hoo. The synopsis remains unclear but there's obviously several stories being told about life, love and divorce. Among the huge cast of French celebrities is Johnny Hallyday, Jean Dujardin, Mathilde Seigner and Christopher Lambert. The film was shot last July in Beaune and will be released in French theaters on March 15, 2017.

Here are some new additions to the B&W photo gallery plus I added over 25 new photos to the Lumiere Film Festival galleries.

The Sedona International Film Festival will be screening ALONE IN BERLIN at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre from February 3-9. Show times will be 7 p.m. on Friday, Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 3, 6 and 7; and 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 8 and 9. Here's a new film production photo of Vincent full engaged in the throes of directing back in the spring of 2015. A man of many talents.

 
01 February 2017

The Maison Européenne de la Photographie is now closed as they prepare for their next exhibition, which runs from February 8 through April 9. The MEP is a major center for contemporary photographic art and, obviously, Vincent must feel very excited and certainly honored for the chance to participate in this prestigious exhibition.

Besides his photography, the MEP will also present a selection of films by Vincent. For more information on dates and times, visit this link.

 
 

 
27 January 2017

Today I have added a photo gallery of Vincent's recent trip to the Republic of Buryatia, located just north of Mongolia. In a Russian interview he joked about his appearance in that he didn't look like his normal movie-star self but rather went for a relaxed look and dressed warmly for the frigid temps. Don't you love his fur Russian hat! When asked what impressed him the most during his trip, he said he will remember the experience of visiting the Ivolginsky Datsan, a Buddhist temple and the Hambo Lama Itigelov, who is called The Living Dead Buddhist Monk, best known for the lifelike state of his dead body, which hasn't been subject to macroscopic decay since his death in 1927.

Vincent's daughter IMAN was back on the catwalk this month. On January 25 she was featured in Jean Paul Gaultier's new haute couture collection for Spring/Summer 2017. The four smaller pics were taken backstage. She's adorable!

 
26 January 2017

Some photos have surfaced today from opening night at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival where ALONE IN BERLIN was screened. To view them, follow this link. In a recent interview about his film, Vincent shared his thoughts on the question of modern-day parallels regarding the increasing prevalence of authoritarian figures and governments in the West. He responded:

"When I meet people after the screenings, there’s always a moment when someone’s asking me that question. I think it’s great. I think it’s accurate. It’s something everybody has in mind, that the extremes are rising up all over the world. We have a very short memory. A tendency to forget. It’s important to tell again these kinds of stories. Yes, we have to be careful. Yes, it’s always there, it’s in the soil somewhere, it’s part of who we are, the extremes. It comes from years of frustration, years of humiliation, that’s what creates the soil for extremism. I think we have to go back to why this is happening, and why it is happening again. I think the movie questions that. I think that’s maybe one reason this movie was made, it’s just a way to question people. It’s a way for people, coming out of the screening, to think about it. It says what Barack Obama said in his [farewell] speech, when he said you can change things, don’t wait for others to change it. You have to start with yourself. That’s exactly what the Quangels were doing. At the end of the film, they’re not victims, they were winning. They were right. The future wasn’t with the Nazis, it was with people like them."

Each year the Political Film Society of Hollywood, CA awards films that best promote political consciousness  in four categories - democracy, exposé, human rights, and peace. The Society has nominated ALONE IN BERLIN for best film exposé and best film on human rights of 2017. In early 2018, members of the Political Film Society will vote and winners will be announced by March 1, 2018.

 
25 January 2017

Last night was the opening of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. ALONE IN BERLIN was screened as the Opening Night event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. A pre-show reception was held as well as a Q&A following the film. Vincent was in attendance. Possibly more photos will show up by the end of the day. The last photo was posted by Vincent himself. Unusual angle...

In the US, you can rent the film through the following services:

 
12 January 2017

DALIDA, the ambitious biopic depicting the rise and fall of famed Egyptian-born Italian-French singer Yolanda Cristina Gigliotti, ranks as one of 2017’s most anticipated films in France. Co-produced, distributed and sold by Pathe, the film bowed in France yesterday and is having its premiere at the opening night of UniFrance Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in Paris, which kicks off tonight. Lisa Azuelos wrote, directed and produced the film, which took five years to get made. Since unveiling the promo reel in Cannes, Pathe has already pre-sold the film in Benelux, Bulgaria, Canada, Ex-Yugoslavia, Greece, Italy, Middle East, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Switzerland, Tunisia and Turkey.

Victoria Gairin of Le Point says that 32-year-old Sveva Alviti does not embody Dalida. She is Dalida! This is what Ms. Azuelos was looking for when she began casting. After three months, the director had seen a hundred girls and still had not found her star until she discovered Sveva Alviti. Ms. Gairin agrees and writes, "The result is amazing. Same sculptural silhouette, even natural elegance, same glance of embers, even melancholy.

Besides Vincent in the role of producer Eddie Barclay, the film's cast includes Niels Schneider, Michael Cohen, Jean-Paul Rouve and Patrick Timsit. The critiques appear to be quite decent and the film should bring in some excellent revenue.

Accompanied by writer Oliver Rolin, Vincent has finished his photo trip to Ulan-Ude and is on his way back to France. During this week in the republic of Buryatia, he visited a Hun settlement, the Ethnographic Museum and Ivilginski temple. He also attended an impromptu mini-concert at the Buryat Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. Soloists Olga Zhigmitova and Mikhail Pirogov performed an aria from the opera "Carmen" and "Samson and Delilah". Olga told the press Vincent was delighted and that they were impressed by his openness and sincerity. At the theatre Vincent also took some photos of the ballet rehearsal of "The Nutcracker".

The photos below show him with fellow actors on a film set. He had expressed a desire to visit a production studio to view their filming process. The press noted that, as usual, Vincent did not use his stardom status, but rather considered himself equal among the actors.

The local shamans also held a traditional ceremony, supposedly a rite that would give Vincent a long life. Details were not disclosed but the shamans presented him with a bronze sculpture of a rider. Interesting... And last, here's a sample of one of Vincent's photos taken on this trip. C'est très beau!

Though Vincent filmed his scenes in November for Roman Polanski's D'APRÈS UNE HISTOIRE VRAIE (Based on a True Story), production continues this week in Paris. The film, which stars Roman's wife, Emmanuelle Seigner, and Eva Green, is slated for a 2018 release. Called a "Hitchcockian romance" tinged with a pinch of Stephen King, the script, based on the book by Delphine de Vigan, was written by Olivier Assayas, one of the most talented filmmakers of contemporary cinema. As a former critic for Cahiers du Cinema and a die-hard cinephile, he makes his films both personal and referential to the works of directors that he adores.

The psychological thriller provides intense reflection on reality and fiction. It revolves around a novelist named Delphine (Seigner) who becomes uncomfortable with overnight fame following the success of her latest publication. A strange and dangerous admirer named L (Green) bursts into her life and gradually takes control of it. The neurotic Eva Green is well cast and the material sounds perfect for Polanski, a master of paranoia. Vincent plays Delphine's companion, Francois.

 
06 January 2017

In a recent interview, Vincent discussed his upcoming film, DALIDA, which will open in French theaters on Wednesday. He recalled Dalida's songs from his childhood and how they remain mythical. He said, "Her music was powerful and she is part of the cultural heritage of France, Europe and even a little further." Before filming, he said he knew a little about her career and had a vague memory of her tormented relationships with men, which often ended tragically. He said that Dalida was a woman who sought love and could not find it and that director Lisa Azuelos has managed to tell the story without the egocentricity of pain. Vincent's memories are now mixed with images from the film. He said, "During the screening at the Olympia in front of a packed house, it was as if she had been revived on stage. It was pretty incredible. I sat next to her brother Orlando, and he cried several times."

As far as his role as producer Eddie Barclay, he said, "He was a very charismatic character. The career of Eddie Barclay is hallucinating. He really held the reins of the musical world for many years... It was a chance for me to be able to embody that, and I had a lot of fun. Curiously, it came quite naturally."

This week Vincent is back in Russia in the role of the photographer. This time he's traveled quite far to the East, actually north of Mongolia, to Ulan-Ude in the republic of Buryatia. Here he is looking as if he's arrived in no man's land!

 
01 January 2017

Exciting news for 2017! Vincent's next exhibition of his photographic work will be featured at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie from February 8 through April 9. The MEP, located in the historic heart of Paris, is a major center for contemporary photographic art.

His statement describing his exposition called "Identités" is as follows:

"I am Swiss, a child of emigrants, with a Spanish father and a German mother. France is the country where I have lived most. My wife was born in Dakar to a Breton mother and a Senegalese father. Our children are a mixture of these five countries. They feel French and Senegalese. Me, I do not know. I am this cultural mix. I feel European. I feel a citizen of the world.

But what is my cultural identity? I envy those who are attached to a clear and strong belonging and at the same time I like to be outside of everything, as if it has allowed me to immerse myself and naturally absorb our differences. When Jean-Luc Monterosso did me the honor of inviting me to the European House of Photography, I decided to accomplish a work done for this occasion around the theme of identity. "

 

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