NEWS: JUNE/JULY 2016

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Sweden - September 23
UK - September 29
Netherlands - October 27
Germany - November 17
France - November 23

Here's a photo taken this month during the shooting of Claude Lelouch's film, CHACUN SA VIE. Vincent is shown with Jean Dujardin, Antoine Dulery and Christopher Lambert.

The second edition of the International Film Festival in Médoc, Les Vendanges du 7e Art, took place in Pauillac from July 13 to 17 with Vincent as president of the jury. Vincent said the strength of the films presented at the festival came from the importance of the family. He thought they were all powerful films making the jury's decision difficult. Commenting on the festival, he said, "I was very touched by Caroline Bordes and Jocelyne Ayme. They did everything to give us a wonderful week. I think this is a festival that will continue. People are coming more and more. At the same time, it is on a human scale, which is very nice."

I thought the following photos were rather colorful and attractive. They're a photo shoot in conjunction with Longines Champions Tour Eiffel for Paris Match magazine taken on June 22 in the Bagatelle gardens in Paris. Vincent's daughter Iman is photographed with Mathilde Pinault and Flore Giraud with a horse called Le Frison.

As co-ambassador of the 6th Festival of Chinese Cinema, Vincent attended the cocktail party and press conference at the Hotel Meurice in Paris on Thursday, June 30th. It was followed by a photocall at the Cinema Gaumont Marignan. In the second photo below, he is shown with co-ambassador Anne Fontaine and Chinese actress Michelle Yeoh. For more photos, visit the gallery page. 

At the press conference, Vincent was asked how he first became acquainted with Chinese films. He replied, "Zhang Yimou is the first name that comes to mind for his films, such as "Raise the Red Lantern". Also directors Chen Kaige and Wen Jiang... The diversity of Chinese cinema is impressive and every year I am very curious about the movies marketed in China." Personally, several of Zhang Yimou's films stand out, my favorite being "The Road Home" (1999) and for a barrel of laughs, check out "A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop" (2009).

Vincent was among the guests at the 30th anniversary party of Madame Air France Magazine. The event took place at the Ritz Hotel in Paris on June 28th. You can view a short video at this link.

On June 23, Vincent was joined by his wife at a Fred Jeweler's celebration of 80 years of creation at the Hotel Cap Esel in Eze, France. The couple are shown with French Socialist politican Fleur Pellerin in the first photo, with Fred president Rachel Marouani in the second, and finally with film producer Melita Toscan du Plantier.

A new film project coming up this month is Claude Lelouch's "Chacun sa vie". Vincent is one of its many giant stars of French cinema. They call it the most valuable cast ever assembled on the big screen since "Asterix at the Olympic Games." Lelouch has made 45 films during his long career working in nearly every genre. He is best known for his Oscar-winning 1996 romance, "A Man and a Woman". Besides Vincent, the cast includes Elsa Zylberstein, Pascal Elbe, Francis Huster, Mathilde Seigner, Johnny Hallyday, Christophe Lambert, Liane Foly, Michel Leeb, Jean-Marie Bigard, Vanessa Demouy, Jean Dujardin, Thomas Dutronc, Gérard Darmon and Chantal Ladesou. Filming commenced today in Beaune. The film will follow the story of 12 men and 12 women whose stories will intertwine around a jazz festival in the capital of the Burgundy vineyards. Lelouch told the press, "I want to behave like a sports coach with them and make them jump a little higher."

This next photo was lifted from Twitter last week and shows Vincent with Alain Mabanckou, one of the best known African writers in France.

Over the past month Vincent's daughter Iman has been involved in the publicity for this past weekend's horse event - the Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping. A respected rider herself, she had several public appearances and was also interviewed on French television. You can view that show by clicking on the photo below.

Last month Vincent returned to Le Régent College in Switzerland where he again entertained both teachers and students. In an article describing his visit on May 12th, the school reported the following:

Behind a great actor lies a great drama teacher

Delighted to be back at Le Régent College, Vincent Perez arrived early today to welcome the pupils as they were being dropped at school, an amazing surprise for the children and parents alike! The teachers and their students then gathered in the library to view three pre-selected scenes of Fanfan la Tulipe, a 2003 cloak-and-dagger film starring Vincent Perez and Penelope Cruz. After each viewing, the actor faced his audience and, displaying genuine interest and heartfelt complicity with the children, answered lots of engaging questions about acting in general and his filmography in particular.

Replying to the last question -"how did you become an actor?" - Perez concluded the insightful Q&A session by demonstrating how true the saying is "when there is a will there is a way". Indeed, born in a family with no ties to the movie industry whatsoever, acting was a young boy’s dream. Determined to make it come true against all odds, Perez studied long and hard and realized his ambition. A powerful lesson for us all.

The rest of the day hinged on two workshops ran by Vincent Perez. His mission: inspire creativity as Le Régent College is getting ready to stage its first school production, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Drawing on his experience as a stage actor (he recently finished a tour playing the protagonist’s role in the theatrical adaptation of Les liaisons dangeureuses), and as a film director (he will soon release Alone in Berlin), he guided the pupils brilliantly.

He was introduced to each young actor, was given a script and the children played the given scene. Perez then pulled up his sleeves and set to work. The air filled with "OK, let’s start again", "much better, can you feel it?", "and go", "keep that energy", "don’t lose the momentum". Very passionate about his teaching, he snapped his fingers, clapped his hands, twitched his face, gesticulated with arms and legs to better convey his message, and enthusiastically demonstrated attitudes and facial expressions. Our young actors were exhausted at the end of the rehearsal process but greatly inspired and bubbling with excitement and enthusiasm.  For photos, visit the Le Régent gallery.

Earlier this month Vincent and Karine took their two daughters to the Zadig & Voltaire new perfume launch in Paris on June 9th. There's a good chance Iman's outfit, designed by Chloe, could easily be mistaken for sleepwear. We know she admires Audrey Hepburn, who's pictured in the last photo in navy blue silky pajamas from a scene in "Charade". Umm...

On June 20th Madame Figaro featured an article called, "Who is Iman Perez, darling of fashion and daughter of Vincent Perez?" The magazine tells us "she quenches her followers on the social networks of shots taken with her ​​girlfriends, such as actress Nora Arnezeder, and her escapades in London or Los Angeles." She poses for Dior, Teen Vogue and for the great German photographer Peter Lindbergh.

Love his photography! I happen to catch "Charlotte Rampling: The Look" (2011) on TV this week and took pleasure in her conversation with him. And who cannot help but adore Charlotte? Wonderful earthiness! Have you seen her in "45 Years"? A must-see! I'm particularly fond of her Francois Ozon films and the erotic "The Night Porter".

In a recent interview with Vincent's wife regarding her latest book, "Autour du soleil", Karine spoke about her childhood and her love of Brittany where her French mother's parents lived. You can read the article at this link with an English translation.

I'm sorry for these late updates but I was on holiday on a North Carolina island last month and had no FTP access to upload my files.

For the second year, Vincent will be chairman of the jury for the Médoc International Film Festival in Southwestern France. He will be joined by five jurors: Anne Consigny, Aure Atika, Azouz Begag, François-Xavier Demaison and Detlef Rossmann. The festival will be held from July 13-17.