NEWS:  NOVEMBER/DECEMBER  2017

Home | Latest News | Biography | Filmography | Theatre | Articles/Interviews | Gallery

 On Monday Vincent attended the funeral of Carla Bruni's mother-in-law, Andrée Mallah, who died at the age of 92. The first photo shows Carla with husband Nicholas Sarkozy and their daughter. Giulia. The funeral took place at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Neuilly-Sur-Seine. Two funerals for Vincent in the past two weeks.

Last March Vincent did some photography work in India for Air France magazine. This month the magazine features some of his photos taken in Udaipur during Holi, the Festival of Colors. Karine Silla pens the text of their travels  and describes the country's beauty in poetic language. My eldest son recently returned from Pune, India and yes, he described the mangos and peacocks, but he also spoke of cow dung, the filth and the heavy smells. Guess he should have travelled four hours north to Udaipur.

Truth or fiction? You read a lot of untrue stuff on the Net and often times it's from directors or screenwriters and even actors who fantasize about making a movie when the project actually has no funding. On November 27th, Julie Pendray of Palm Springs Life wrote this about actress Kym Karath: "She has been a print model in Paris and is preparing for the production of her screenplay there in 2018. Twenty Boulevard St. Germain will be directed by Bruce Beresford, she says. Catherine Deneuve and Vincent Perez will act. 'It’s loosely autobiographical,' says Karath. 'It’s about three women who go to Paris for different reasons. It’s a love story.'" 

Flashback: Here's a photo taken in the USA back in November 1994. What a heartthrob!

On November 30 Iman's parents came to watch their daughter's show jumping at the Masters Three Data Sport event at the Longines Masters in Villepinte. Beautiful horse!

About a month ago when I was posting some of his interviews, I accused Vincent of perhaps attempting to "reinvent himself"  and then today I discover his own quote on his  photography site - "I think life is made of cycles, each cycle requires some courage to get out of your comfort zone. Right now, I'm really in there. Namely: in the reinvention of myself." The truth is you can try to reinvent this new "image" going forward but your past will follow you wherever you go.

From December 2-23, Fisheye Gallery in Paris will be transformed into a library and photography studio. Publishers and photographers will take over the gallery for the whole month of December. One of the events is called "Family portrait in a Polaroid room with Vincent Perez", which will be held Saturday and Sunday, December 16 and 17 from 1 to 8 pm. Photo information: Format of prints 20 x 25 cm in colour, 150 euros per session. Limited places. Sign up now: contact@fisheyegallery.fr.

I have neglected to post the absolutely gorgeous film poster for "Hochelaga". Love it!

Today The Hollywood Reporter announced some exciting news - In 1988, director Francois Girard saw his drama The Red Violin earn composer John Corigliano the Academy Award for best original score. Now the Quebec director wants his latest movie, HOCHELAGA, LAND OF SOULS, to secure a nomination after being chosen by Canada as its Best Foreign Language Film contender for an Oscar.

"It's always a tough race, but we've done a film that's deeply rooted in our culture, and it speaks honestly about who we are," says Girard, an Academy member himself, of the movie's Oscar chances.

Canada has a good track record in the Oscar's foreign language category... Girard recently walked the AFI film fest red carpet as part of the Oscar campaign for Hochelaga, but he doesn't want to take chances in predicting an Oscar win.

"As for any award competition, there are so many factors beyond my radar," he says. "I don't want to make any guesses. But we're proud of the film, and we hope we go all the way."

Vincent's last film, BASED ON A TRUE STORY (D’après Une Histoire Vraie), directed by Roman Polanski, didn't fare too well in France where it opened this month. Roman's wife Emmanuelle Seigner stars as writer Delphine with Vincent as her love interest Francois and Eva Green as Delphine's obsessed stalker. Here is an overview from the French film critics. You can click on the image for a higher resolution.

Giovanni Marchini Camia of The Film Stage writes, "A psychological thriller directed by Roman Polanski and co-written by Polanski and Olivier Assayas – elevator pitches don’t get much more promising than that. Sadly, the lackluster outcome proves there’s no guaranteed recipe for success. Based on a True Story, adapted from the prize-winning novel by Delphine de Vigan, revisits territory Polanski has mined time and again over the course of his long career. Perhaps too many times, as the film feels like the work of an author thoroughly bored with his material, a sentiment impossible not to share as a viewer."

"On a directorial level, Based on a True Story is just as uninspiring. Polanski sleepwalks his way through the film, manifesting precious little of the skill and invention that fueled the slow-burn suspense and sinister atmospheres of superficially similar works such as Rosemary’s Baby and Repulsion. The most perverse aspect of Based on a True Story is its resolution: after two hours of insipid build-up, the film abruptly closes on a note so anticlimactic that it barely qualifies as an ending."

In an interview four months ago, Vincent discussed the controversial director in this youtube video, and a month ago, Polanski's name came up again as he faced new rape allegations following the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Vincent is presently in Sydney, Australia starring in another Bruce Beresford film. They previously worked together in "Bride of the Wind" (2001), which was such a disaster, scoring only 11% at Rotten Tomatoes. Hopefully, this new pairing will prove more successful. The name of the film is LADIES IN BLACK, adapted for the screen by Beresford and  Sue Milliken from Madeleine St John’s 1993 bestselling novel, "The Women in Black". The cast includes Julia Ormond as Magda Szombatheli, Angourie Rice as Lisa Miles, Rachael Taylor as Fay Baines, Alison McGirr as Patty Williams, Vincent as Magda's Hungarian husband Stefan, Ryan Corr as Rudi, Susie Porter and Shane Jacobson as Lisa's parents and Noni Hazlehurst as Miss Cartwright. Set in Sydney in the summer of 1959, against the backdrop of Australia's cultural awakening, breakdown of class structures, and liberation of women, it tells the coming-of-age story of suburban schoolgirl Lisa, who while waiting for her final high school exam results with dreams of going to the University of Sydney, takes a summer job at a large department store. Here she works side-by-side with a group of saleswomen who open her eyes to a world beyond her sheltered existence and foster her metamorphosis.

On Tuesday, November 7, Vincent and his wife attended a night of music listening to Gerard Depardieu pay homage to Barbara, one of France's best known singers. The event was called "Depardieu Chante Barbara" at Le Cirque d'Hiver in Paris. The night before Karine brought daughter Iman to the show. She doesn't look too happy posing with her mother's ex-lover, but then again she normally pouts. Have her fashion agents told her not to smile? I don't know why Roxane didn't attend since Gerard is her father.

On November 9th Vincent and Karine accompanied 18-year-old Iman for the inauguration of the new Miasuki Collection for equestrians. Created by Mia S. Lei, the brand offers unique, innovative and revolutionary pieces combined with a dynamic and chic style. Ideal for all those who want to combine sport and elegance. I can't help myself. In the words of Annie Hall, let me say, "la-di-da!"