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New Zealander chosen to head Cannes Film Festival
Political Column by Julian Nundy The Riviera Times’ political commentator in Paris
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Campion is the first female jury president since 2009
Love in the time of recession
hatever may be said about François Hollande's amorous dalliances, they did not cost the taxpayer dearly. As befits a time of economic crisis and austerity. Closer magazine, which glories in the private lives of celebrities, last month published now famous photographs of the Socialist president riding pillion on an Italian-made three-wheeled Piaggio scooter driven by a bodyguard to a flat on the rue du Cirque, or Circus Street, just 150 metres from the Elysée Palace. There, where he joined the actress Julie Gayet, who at 41 is 18 years his junior, Hollande would stay until the bodyguard returned the next morning with freshly baked croissants. Hollande's frugal tryst contrasted with the highspending panache of some of his predecessors. François Mitterrand, the only other Socialist to have been French president since the creation of the Fifth Republic 55 years ago, had a second family. His mistress, Anne Pingeot, and their daughter, Mazarine, appeared alongside his widow Danielle and their two legitimate sons at his funeral. The second family lived in a state-provided flat by the Champ de Mars, one of
Paris's most exclusive districts, protected by official security. It was there that Mitterrand died in 1996, a few months after finishing his second seven-year term at the Elysée. Jacques Chirac, Mitterrand's conservative successor, once astonished Japanese ambassadors gathered in Tokyo for an annual foreign-policy brainstorming session by crossing the lobby of the hotel where the envoys were staying with a female companion on his arm. Diplomats in Paris said Chirac had flown to Japan in a government plane, refuelling in Siberia during the 1997-2002 left-right "cohabitation," leaving Lionel Jospin, his Socialist prime minister and main political rival, to run France for a weekend during his secret absence. Following such episodes, the Hollande affair might seem trivial, especially given the French tendency to consider bedroom antics private. But this is not the first time that Hollande's personal life has spilled over. In the 2007 presidential election, the unsuccessful Socialist candidate was Ségolène Royal, Hollande's partner for many years and the mother of their four children. Royal reportedly sought the nomination out of revenge - to prevent Hollande,
then the Socialist Party first secretary, from standing himself. In 2007, Royal's anger was prompted by Hollande's decision to leave her for Valérie Trierweiler, a journalist for ParisMatch. Until Closer's revelations, Trierweiler was the de facto first lady, with her own office and staff in the Elysée. When Closer published its scoop, Trierweiler was taken to hospital in shock. The episode did nothing for the image of a president who, after promising "normal" and "exemplary" behaviour in office, is seen after 20 months as ineffectual. Ironically, it all but eclipsed his announcement of his first major moves to deal with the economic crisis - including the creation of a "responsibility pact" with French companies, slashing their social costs to help them create jobs. Le Point news magazine pointed out that Bill Clinton was able to make a comeback after the Monica Lewinsky scandal, but doubted that Hollande could do the same, given the virulence of reactions. One of the harshest, quoted in several French media, came from Manuel Valls, Hollande's own interior minister, who scoffed at "the behaviour of a retarded adolescent."
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scar-winning director the art and excellence of new Paquin won Oscars for their performances. of The Piano and first world cinema. She has often been labeled woman to have ever "It is a mythical and exciting won the Palme d'Or, Jane festival where amazing things a feminist director because of Campion, will lead this year's can happen, actors are the ways she explores the jury at the Cannes Film discovered, films are financed female characters in her movies. Festival. "Her feature films, The New Zealander though varied in quality, will be the first have been united by woman to head the their compelling jury since 2009, and is depictions of the lives of no stranger to the women who are in some festival in Cannes. In way outside of society's addition to her 1993 mainstream," reads a Palme d'Or prize, she New York Times' biography. also won the best "Campion's films explore short film In 1986 for what makes these Peel and returned in women different, and 2009 to present her the repercussions of film Bright Star in their refusal - or inability competition. She also - to conform." took part in the short Campion succeeds film jury in 2013 and Steven Spielberg as jury presided over the Director Jayne Campion will lead the 2014 jury president. Cinefondation "We are immensely proud careers are made, I know this section. "Since I first went to Cannes because that is what that Jane Campion has accepted our invitation," said with my short films in 1986 I happened to me!" Jane Campion was born in Director of the Cannes Film have had the opportunity to see the festival from many Wellington, New Zealand, and Festival Thierry Fremaux. "She sides and my admiration for now lives in Sydney, Australia. is one of those directors who this Queen of film festivals has Among her achievements, perfectly embody the idea that only grown larger," said Campion has directed three you can make films as an artist Campion in a statement. "At actresses in Oscar-nominated and yet still appeal to a the Cannes Film Festival, they performances: Holly Hunter - worldwide public." Meanwhile, the Board of manage to combine and Best Actress, The Piano (1993), celebrate the glamour of the Anna Paquin - Best Supporting Directors of the Festival de industry, the stars, the parties, Actress, The Piano (1993), and Cannes elected Pierre Lescure the beaches, the business, Barbara Hershey - Best as its new president, effective while rigorously maintaining Supporting Actress, The Portrait on 1st July. The festival will take the festival's seriousness about of a Lady (1996). Hunter and place from 14th to 25th May.
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