The Cannes Film Festival is arguably the single most prestigious film festival in all of world cinema. Every year, hundreds descend on the French resort town for two weeks of screenings from some of the film industry’s most respected auteurs. If you want high-quality cinema, or movie star glamour, Cannes supplies all of that in abundance.
But maybe it’s because Cannes is such a shiny beacon atop the cinematic landscape that it’s also so frequently embroiled in massive controversies, in a way that American festivals like, say, Sundance don’t really manage, at least not anymore. It’s not an every year occurrence, but whenever Cannes starts up in May, putting money on something happening to make people very angry is generally the safer bet.
Sometimes, the controversy has to do with the films playing on the Croisette themselves. Take notorious projects like “The Brown Bunny,” a...
But maybe it’s because Cannes is such a shiny beacon atop the cinematic landscape that it’s also so frequently embroiled in massive controversies, in a way that American festivals like, say, Sundance don’t really manage, at least not anymore. It’s not an every year occurrence, but whenever Cannes starts up in May, putting money on something happening to make people very angry is generally the safer bet.
Sometimes, the controversy has to do with the films playing on the Croisette themselves. Take notorious projects like “The Brown Bunny,” a...
- 5/22/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Maiwenn as Jeanne du Barry and Johnny Depp as King Louis Xv, in Jeanne Du Barry. Courtesy of Vertical
Johnny Depp as France’s King Louis Xv? Speaking French? Yeah, I want to see that. That was my first thought on French director/star Maiwenn’s Jeanne Du Barry, her costume drama about the king’s scandalous commoner mistress in pre-Revolution France.
Expecting a lot of historical accuracy seems foolish for a film like this but entertainment and lush period details seem a a more realistic hope. So does it deliver?
Well, yes, it does. And Johnny Depp is pretty darn good too as King Louis Xv, the French king in between the Sun King and the one who lost his head in the Revolution. Depp plays an older king, and the actor is about the right age for the role. Depp does speak French, having lived there on and off for several years,...
Johnny Depp as France’s King Louis Xv? Speaking French? Yeah, I want to see that. That was my first thought on French director/star Maiwenn’s Jeanne Du Barry, her costume drama about the king’s scandalous commoner mistress in pre-Revolution France.
Expecting a lot of historical accuracy seems foolish for a film like this but entertainment and lush period details seem a a more realistic hope. So does it deliver?
Well, yes, it does. And Johnny Depp is pretty darn good too as King Louis Xv, the French king in between the Sun King and the one who lost his head in the Revolution. Depp plays an older king, and the actor is about the right age for the role. Depp does speak French, having lived there on and off for several years,...
- 5/3/2024
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
When Johnny Depp praised and thanked his Jeanne du Barry director for giving him a chance when nearly no other filmmaker would, it showed genuine appreciation. But then director Maïwenn seemed to betray her star, giving an interview in The Independent that painted Depp as “scary” on the set and Maïwenn as disloyal. Now, Maïwenn is trying to right the wrongs ahead of the film’s North American release next week.
Speaking with Variety, Maïwenn said that her quotes about Johnny Depp had been misrepresented. “When I made a remark about Johnny being ‘scary,’ I was talking about his charisma, his notoriety, his star status, etc… was shocked when I discovered that the newspaper had headlined that ‘The crew were afraid of [Johnny Depp]’ because written like that, and without its context and subtleties, it absolutely no longer means the same thing. The journalist did not want to grasp the subtlety of my words....
Speaking with Variety, Maïwenn said that her quotes about Johnny Depp had been misrepresented. “When I made a remark about Johnny being ‘scary,’ I was talking about his charisma, his notoriety, his star status, etc… was shocked when I discovered that the newspaper had headlined that ‘The crew were afraid of [Johnny Depp]’ because written like that, and without its context and subtleties, it absolutely no longer means the same thing. The journalist did not want to grasp the subtlety of my words....
- 4/26/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Johnny Depp’s legal conflict with his ex Amber Heard has almost derailed his glorious Hollywood career. The actor appeared in French filmmaker Maïwenn’s historical romance drama, Jeanne du Barry, alongside the director who played the title character.
Johnny Depp in Jeanne Du Barry
Earlier this month, in an interview with The Independent, Maïwenn commented on working with Depp in the movie. However, she claimed that the outlet had twisted her words, keeping the actor in a bad light in the headline. Now, she clarified her comment on the Pirates of the Caribbean star.
Maïwenn Clarified her Comments On Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp in Jeanne du Barry
Maïwenn revealed that he was saddened and concerned after her interview was twisted to explicitly reveal a different meaning. It has cast a shadow of negativity on Johnny Depp and his reputation. In a chat with Variety, the director and Depp’s...
Johnny Depp in Jeanne Du Barry
Earlier this month, in an interview with The Independent, Maïwenn commented on working with Depp in the movie. However, she claimed that the outlet had twisted her words, keeping the actor in a bad light in the headline. Now, she clarified her comment on the Pirates of the Caribbean star.
Maïwenn Clarified her Comments On Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp in Jeanne du Barry
Maïwenn revealed that he was saddened and concerned after her interview was twisted to explicitly reveal a different meaning. It has cast a shadow of negativity on Johnny Depp and his reputation. In a chat with Variety, the director and Depp’s...
- 4/26/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
Johnny Depp has been on the longest hiatus of his career ever since making it in Hollywood. Even with his defamation case with Amber Heard having settled, fans wondered just when he would step in front of the camera again. That came at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, when Depp and director Maïwenn unveiled Jeanne du Barry, the actor’s first film since 2020’s Minimata. Now, Depp is giving due credit to his director for standing by his side and giving him the chance that even some of his closest collaborators were hesitant to.
Posting on Instagram, Depp shared a photo from a red carpet event for Jeanne du Barry – in which he plays Louis Xv – along with the following caption: “Endlessly grateful to the incomparable Maïwenn for choosing me as her King of France in ‘Jeanne du Barry’. Now playing across the UK & Ireland. Jd.X”
While we...
Posting on Instagram, Depp shared a photo from a red carpet event for Jeanne du Barry – in which he plays Louis Xv – along with the following caption: “Endlessly grateful to the incomparable Maïwenn for choosing me as her King of France in ‘Jeanne du Barry’. Now playing across the UK & Ireland. Jd.X”
While we...
- 4/20/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Fluff your powdered wig and fill your snuffbox because a trailer for French filmmaker Maïwenn’s Jeanne Du Barry is here to give you a front-row seat to one of history’s most notorious scandals. The lavish footage depicts Johnny Depp as Louis Xv and Maïwenn Besco as Jeanne Vaubernier, a woman willing to give a gloved middle finger to tradition to rise through society’s ranks. Decadent, scandalous, and filled with more drama than a season of Bridgerton, today’s Jeanne Du Barry trailer highlights Depp’s first significant feature since his public court battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard.
Here’s the official synopsis for Jeanne Du Barry:
“Jeanne du Barry follows Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a working-class woman determined to climb the social ladder, using her charms to escape her impoverished life. Her lover, the Comte du Barry (Melvil Poupaud), wishes to present her to King Louis Xv...
Here’s the official synopsis for Jeanne Du Barry:
“Jeanne du Barry follows Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a working-class woman determined to climb the social ladder, using her charms to escape her impoverished life. Her lover, the Comte du Barry (Melvil Poupaud), wishes to present her to King Louis Xv...
- 4/2/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
While Sydney Sweeney is basking in the success of her recent horror film Immaculate, she seems to have gotten on the wrong side of the Internet again. The Madame Web star faced intense backlash from fans after reports of her starring with Johnny Depp in a new supernatural thriller made the rounds.
Depp has also been receiving backlash ever since his Blow co-star Lola Glaudini reportedly accused him of verbal abuse on the film sets. An insider reported that Sweeney and Depp would be starring in Marc Webb’s new film Day Drinker. However, representatives of the Euphoria star have now confirmed that she would not be starring in the film.
Sydney Sweeney’s Rumored Next Project With Johnny Depp Sydney Sweeney in Immaculate
Sydney Sweeney seems to be the ‘it girl’ of Hollywood at the moment as she dabbles in multiple projects. The actress recently tasted success with her rom-com with Glen Powell,...
Depp has also been receiving backlash ever since his Blow co-star Lola Glaudini reportedly accused him of verbal abuse on the film sets. An insider reported that Sweeney and Depp would be starring in Marc Webb’s new film Day Drinker. However, representatives of the Euphoria star have now confirmed that she would not be starring in the film.
Sydney Sweeney’s Rumored Next Project With Johnny Depp Sydney Sweeney in Immaculate
Sydney Sweeney seems to be the ‘it girl’ of Hollywood at the moment as she dabbles in multiple projects. The actress recently tasted success with her rom-com with Glen Powell,...
- 3/30/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
The Johnny Depp film “Jeanne du Barry” from director and star (and producer and co-writer) Maïwenn will open in U.S. theaters on May 2 as part of a special engagement via Fathom Events and distributor Vertical.
The film will open exclusively in more than 500 U.S. theaters on May 2, 2024, with the possibility that the film could run longer than its “limited” engagement if it’s a success. The first big theatrical release of May 2024 is 20th Century’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which will command many more screens beginning May 10.
“Jeanne du Barry” was the opening night film at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and was a modest box office hit, grossing $13 million outside of the states. Vertical picked it up last June but has yet to release it here.
With more than 500 screens in tow, the movie will be the widest opening for Depp in the U.
The film will open exclusively in more than 500 U.S. theaters on May 2, 2024, with the possibility that the film could run longer than its “limited” engagement if it’s a success. The first big theatrical release of May 2024 is 20th Century’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which will command many more screens beginning May 10.
“Jeanne du Barry” was the opening night film at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and was a modest box office hit, grossing $13 million outside of the states. Vertical picked it up last June but has yet to release it here.
With more than 500 screens in tow, the movie will be the widest opening for Depp in the U.
- 3/6/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Johnny Depp’s UK production outfit In.2 Film is to distribute Maïwenn’s Cannes opening film Jeanne du Barry in the UK and Ireland from April 19.
Jeanne du Barry, in which Depp is a producer and stars, follows Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a woman born into poverty who uses her intellect and charms to climb the social ladder, rising to the opulent court of King Louis Xv of France (Depp).
It is a first foray into UK-Ireland distribution for In.2 Film, which launched in 2021 at San Sebastian film festival. The company was born out of Depp’s Los Angeles outfit Infinitum Nihil,...
Jeanne du Barry, in which Depp is a producer and stars, follows Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), a woman born into poverty who uses her intellect and charms to climb the social ladder, rising to the opulent court of King Louis Xv of France (Depp).
It is a first foray into UK-Ireland distribution for In.2 Film, which launched in 2021 at San Sebastian film festival. The company was born out of Depp’s Los Angeles outfit Infinitum Nihil,...
- 1/23/2024
- ScreenDaily
Maiwenn Ordered To Pay Fine For Assaulting French Journalist! (Picture Credit: IMDb)
Jeanne du Barry marked Johnny Depp’s French debut. His comeback after the $50 million defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard created a stir. But now, the director Maiwenn is in legal trouble over spitting on a French journalist. Below are all the details you need to know about the incident.
Mediapart magazine editor-in-chief Edwy Plenel filed a police complaint against the filmmaker last year in March. The incident took place ahead of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The journalist accused Maiwenn of pulling him by the hair and spitting on them while he was dining at a restaurant.
Maiwenn was upset with Mediapart’s rape allegations on ex-husband Luc Besson!
It was later revealed that Johnny Depp‘s director probably did that because of Mediapart magazine’s coverage of rape and assault against her husband, Luc Besson. Maiwenn began dating Léon: The Professional director,...
Jeanne du Barry marked Johnny Depp’s French debut. His comeback after the $50 million defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard created a stir. But now, the director Maiwenn is in legal trouble over spitting on a French journalist. Below are all the details you need to know about the incident.
Mediapart magazine editor-in-chief Edwy Plenel filed a police complaint against the filmmaker last year in March. The incident took place ahead of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The journalist accused Maiwenn of pulling him by the hair and spitting on them while he was dining at a restaurant.
Maiwenn was upset with Mediapart’s rape allegations on ex-husband Luc Besson!
It was later revealed that Johnny Depp‘s director probably did that because of Mediapart magazine’s coverage of rape and assault against her husband, Luc Besson. Maiwenn began dating Léon: The Professional director,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Jishika Madaan
- KoiMoi
Russia was the top market in terms of admissions for French cinema last year, cinema export agency Unifrance’s annual international box office report for 2023 revealed on Tuesday.
Given that Russia’s relations with Europe are at their lowest ebb since the end of the Cold War in 1991 as its ongoing war on Ukraine rumbles on, the finding was a surprise.
Per the data, Russia accounted for 7.09M, or 20% of the overall 37.4M international admissions for French cinema, but generated a smaller gross than Germany.
The Russian figures were driven by feature animation Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir, The Movie, which was released on a record 1,877 screens for a French film and sold 3.53M tickets.
Maïwenn’s Jeanne du Barry, co-starring Johnny Depp, also did well in Russia, selling just over one million tickets.
While U.S. Studios are boycotting Russia, European Union sanctions do not include films sales to the territory.
Given that Russia’s relations with Europe are at their lowest ebb since the end of the Cold War in 1991 as its ongoing war on Ukraine rumbles on, the finding was a surprise.
Per the data, Russia accounted for 7.09M, or 20% of the overall 37.4M international admissions for French cinema, but generated a smaller gross than Germany.
The Russian figures were driven by feature animation Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir, The Movie, which was released on a record 1,877 screens for a French film and sold 3.53M tickets.
Maïwenn’s Jeanne du Barry, co-starring Johnny Depp, also did well in Russia, selling just over one million tickets.
While U.S. Studios are boycotting Russia, European Union sanctions do not include films sales to the territory.
- 1/16/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
When Johnny Depp Earned Over $50 Million For A Brief Cameo(Photo Credit –IMDb)
Johnny Depp is known for playing quirky characters, and he even makes them iconic, be it his Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Edward Scissorhands, or Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the 2000s, Depp was at the peak of his career, and the makers did not hesitate to pay millions to get him for a role, especially if it was a fantasy film, even for a few minutes. This leads us to the time when he took home a staggering amount for his role in Alice in Wonderland.
Johnny Depp is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, and that is for a reason! He is a versatile actor and brings a lot of charm to every role he appears in. But things took an ugly turn when he...
Johnny Depp is known for playing quirky characters, and he even makes them iconic, be it his Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Edward Scissorhands, or Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the 2000s, Depp was at the peak of his career, and the makers did not hesitate to pay millions to get him for a role, especially if it was a fantasy film, even for a few minutes. This leads us to the time when he took home a staggering amount for his role in Alice in Wonderland.
Johnny Depp is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, and that is for a reason! He is a versatile actor and brings a lot of charm to every role he appears in. But things took an ugly turn when he...
- 12/31/2023
- by Esita Mallik
- KoiMoi
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival is midway through its third edition, running November 30 to December 9 in the palatial surroundings of the seafront Ritz Carlton in the port city of Jeddah.
This year’s edition came together against the backdrop of the geopolitical tensions linked to the Israel-Hamas Conflict as well as the tail-end of the Actors’ Strike.
These challenges do not appear to have dented the line-up of films or the roster of local, regional and international guests making the trip to Jeddah. A-listers have also been hitting the red carpet with Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Zoe Saldana, Halle Berry, Chris Hemsworth and Gwyneth Paltrow among those putting in an appearance.
The edition is showcasing around 90 features, 20 shorts and four TV series hailing from more than 70 territories, ranging from big U.S. titles such as Ferrari and Origin to buzzy local films with international breakthrough potential such as Mandoob and Norah.
This year’s edition came together against the backdrop of the geopolitical tensions linked to the Israel-Hamas Conflict as well as the tail-end of the Actors’ Strike.
These challenges do not appear to have dented the line-up of films or the roster of local, regional and international guests making the trip to Jeddah. A-listers have also been hitting the red carpet with Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Zoe Saldana, Halle Berry, Chris Hemsworth and Gwyneth Paltrow among those putting in an appearance.
The edition is showcasing around 90 features, 20 shorts and four TV series hailing from more than 70 territories, ranging from big U.S. titles such as Ferrari and Origin to buzzy local films with international breakthrough potential such as Mandoob and Norah.
- 12/4/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
French director Maïwenn and Johnny Depp hit Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival on Friday for a special screening of period romance Jeanne du Barry followed by a Q&a.
Maïwenn co-wrote, directed and stars as the titular courtesan opposite Depp in the role of King Louis Xv, who falls in love with du Barry and establishes her at the Court of Versailles as his last official mistress.
Red Sea Head of International Programming Kaleem Aftab, who moderated the Q&a, found himself in hot water when he said he had found parts of the film “very funny”.
“You find it funny? It’s a love story. He’s dying. Did you see the film?.” asked Maïwenn, before putting the question out to the audience.
Depp joked to Aftab: “Keep digging. I do have a small shovel downstairs.”
(Watch) Maïwenn & Johnny Depp Get Into Discussion With @RedSeaFilm Festival Audience...
Maïwenn co-wrote, directed and stars as the titular courtesan opposite Depp in the role of King Louis Xv, who falls in love with du Barry and establishes her at the Court of Versailles as his last official mistress.
Red Sea Head of International Programming Kaleem Aftab, who moderated the Q&a, found himself in hot water when he said he had found parts of the film “very funny”.
“You find it funny? It’s a love story. He’s dying. Did you see the film?.” asked Maïwenn, before putting the question out to the audience.
Depp joked to Aftab: “Keep digging. I do have a small shovel downstairs.”
(Watch) Maïwenn & Johnny Depp Get Into Discussion With @RedSeaFilm Festival Audience...
- 12/1/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Johnny Depp underlined his growing relationship with Saudi Arabia on Friday by taking part in a Q&a at the country’s Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah following a screening of his feature Jeanne du Barry. The actor had been due to attend the screening itself, but as director Maïwenn explained, he’s “always late.”
Not that the crowd minded his self-described “procrastination,” however, with cheers following the discussion, and at least one yell of “We love you, Johnny!” from an audience member as he was ushered away by a security team, to which Depp smiled and waved courteously. Outside the cinema at the Red Sea Mall, where the screening took place, Depp had to be quickly escorted to his car as news of his presence sparked a flood of people racing to catch a glimpse of the actor and attempt to get a selfie.
Jeanne du Barry, which...
Not that the crowd minded his self-described “procrastination,” however, with cheers following the discussion, and at least one yell of “We love you, Johnny!” from an audience member as he was ushered away by a security team, to which Depp smiled and waved courteously. Outside the cinema at the Red Sea Mall, where the screening took place, Depp had to be quickly escorted to his car as news of his presence sparked a flood of people racing to catch a glimpse of the actor and attempt to get a selfie.
Jeanne du Barry, which...
- 12/1/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
They instructed her no one must turn their back to the king, but she did so anyway. They warned that she was not to look Louis Xv directly in the eyes, lest others take it as “an invitation,” but she ignored Versailles’ advisers on this point as well, defiantly meeting the king’s gaze.
Jeanne Bécu was not the type of woman to do as she was told. In this respect, divisive French actor-director Maïwenn can relate, casting herself as the courtesan-turned-comtess in “Jeanne du Barry,” a sensitive and surprisingly low-key portrait of the French monarch’s last mistress. That Maïwenn saw fit to engage tabloid-embattled Johnny Depp as “her king” is just one of the many hurdles she set for herself — but then, no one embarks on such a project with the intention of pleasing her critics.
Kicking off the Cannes Film Festival just two weeks after Charles III’s coronation across the Channel,...
Jeanne Bécu was not the type of woman to do as she was told. In this respect, divisive French actor-director Maïwenn can relate, casting herself as the courtesan-turned-comtess in “Jeanne du Barry,” a sensitive and surprisingly low-key portrait of the French monarch’s last mistress. That Maïwenn saw fit to engage tabloid-embattled Johnny Depp as “her king” is just one of the many hurdles she set for herself — but then, no one embarks on such a project with the intention of pleasing her critics.
Kicking off the Cannes Film Festival just two weeks after Charles III’s coronation across the Channel,...
- 11/16/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
“Jeanne du Barry” director Maïwenn is setting the record straight on her altercation with Mediapart editor-in-chief Edwy Plenel.
Maïwenn confirmed earlier this year that she did in fact pull Plenel’s hair and spit in his face at a Paris restaurant; Plenel filed a police report March 7 alleging the incident took place in late February. The writer/director/actress, née Maïwenn Le Besco, told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (via Screen Daily) that the encounter with Plenel stemmed from her feeling “morally violated” that Mediapart published rape allegations against her ex-husband, director Luc Besson, without notifying her.
“I don’t blame Mediapart for their investigations into Luc Besson; I blame them for what they have done to me,” she said. “It was a cataclysm. I felt morally violated. There’s no justification for attacking a journalist, but there’s no justification for violating a woman’s intimacy and trust.
Maïwenn confirmed earlier this year that she did in fact pull Plenel’s hair and spit in his face at a Paris restaurant; Plenel filed a police report March 7 alleging the incident took place in late February. The writer/director/actress, née Maïwenn Le Besco, told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (via Screen Daily) that the encounter with Plenel stemmed from her feeling “morally violated” that Mediapart published rape allegations against her ex-husband, director Luc Besson, without notifying her.
“I don’t blame Mediapart for their investigations into Luc Besson; I blame them for what they have done to me,” she said. “It was a cataclysm. I felt morally violated. There’s no justification for attacking a journalist, but there’s no justification for violating a woman’s intimacy and trust.
- 6/12/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Jeanne du Barry, the opening night from this year’s Cannes Film Festival that stars embattled actor Johnny Depp, will get a North American release.
Vertical has landed the domestic rights to the period drama, which was directed by and co-stars Maïwenn. Depp play King Louis Xv and the film follows his relationship with Jeanne Vaubernier, a working-class woman who rises to the level of the king’s mistress.
North American release plans, including theatrical, are not yet confirmed.
The $22 million budgeted feature, which was shot on location in France, including Versailles, has proven successful at the French box office with 401,481 admissions (or $2.56 million U.S.) in its first week of play, the best showing in a decade for a Cannes opening-night film in the country, according to French distributor Le Pacte.
Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre Richard, Melvil Poupaud and Pascal Greggory also star in the movie. Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi...
Vertical has landed the domestic rights to the period drama, which was directed by and co-stars Maïwenn. Depp play King Louis Xv and the film follows his relationship with Jeanne Vaubernier, a working-class woman who rises to the level of the king’s mistress.
North American release plans, including theatrical, are not yet confirmed.
The $22 million budgeted feature, which was shot on location in France, including Versailles, has proven successful at the French box office with 401,481 admissions (or $2.56 million U.S.) in its first week of play, the best showing in a decade for a Cannes opening-night film in the country, according to French distributor Le Pacte.
Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre Richard, Melvil Poupaud and Pascal Greggory also star in the movie. Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi...
- 6/7/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Jeanne Du Barry,” the latest film from French director Maïwenn that stars Johnny Depp, has found a North American distributor in Vertical following its Cannes debut, an individual with knowledge told IndieWire.
“Jeanne Du Barry” was the opening night film at the Cannes Film Festival last month, where it received a 7-minute standing ovation from the crowd in the Palais. But it was a controversial choice because of Depp’s continued career rehab following the highly publicized defamation trial between him and ex-wife Amber Heard, but also because of a report against Maïwenn that accused her of assaulting a journalist, an accusation she later admitted to.
The film stars Depp as the French King Louis Xv in a supporting role and primarily follows Maïwenn as Jeanne Vaubernier, an 18th Century French working class woman who became King Louis Xv’s lover. Here’s the full synopsis:
“Jeanne du Barry” follows...
“Jeanne Du Barry” was the opening night film at the Cannes Film Festival last month, where it received a 7-minute standing ovation from the crowd in the Palais. But it was a controversial choice because of Depp’s continued career rehab following the highly publicized defamation trial between him and ex-wife Amber Heard, but also because of a report against Maïwenn that accused her of assaulting a journalist, an accusation she later admitted to.
The film stars Depp as the French King Louis Xv in a supporting role and primarily follows Maïwenn as Jeanne Vaubernier, an 18th Century French working class woman who became King Louis Xv’s lover. Here’s the full synopsis:
“Jeanne du Barry” follows...
- 6/7/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Enraging, bracing and sublime, the 76th edition of the French film festival kicks off with a controversial visit from Johnny Depp and gallops through films from Pedro Almodóvar, Catherine Corsini, Steve McQueen and more
On the opening night of the Cannes film festival the guests gather for the premiere of Jeanne du Barry, a historical romp. It is the tale of a courtesan who catches the eye of a libidinous king and thereby flies in the face of propriety and good taste. The palace, we learn, is a place thick with intrigue, byzantine protocols and ridiculous rules that make no discernible sense. “It’s grotesque,” says one character. “No, it’s Versailles,” says another.
The royal court has its troubles – and so too does Cannes, where the traditional grand unveiling was all but derailed by the arrival of Johnny Depp, a Hollywood star dogged by allegations of domestic abuse whose...
On the opening night of the Cannes film festival the guests gather for the premiere of Jeanne du Barry, a historical romp. It is the tale of a courtesan who catches the eye of a libidinous king and thereby flies in the face of propriety and good taste. The palace, we learn, is a place thick with intrigue, byzantine protocols and ridiculous rules that make no discernible sense. “It’s grotesque,” says one character. “No, it’s Versailles,” says another.
The royal court has its troubles – and so too does Cannes, where the traditional grand unveiling was all but derailed by the arrival of Johnny Depp, a Hollywood star dogged by allegations of domestic abuse whose...
- 5/20/2023
- by Xan Brooks
- The Guardian - Film News
Just a year ago, the image of Johnny Depp smiling and waving atop the Palais steps at the Cannes Film Festival would have been unthinkable to most — including to Depp, himself.
“When you hit the bottom, you hit the bottom, you hit the bottom, then you find the basement to the bottom,” Depp told The Associated Press the day after “Jeanne du Barry”, in which he stars as King Louis Xv, opened Cannes.
This time last year, Depp was immersed in a libel trial he brought against Amber Heard, his ex-wife, based on a 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece in which she referred to herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” A British court had ruled in 2020 that a tabloid labeling Depp “a wife beater” were “substantially true.” Soon after the ruling in the U.K., Hollywood had largely cut ties with Depp, jettisoning him from both the “Fantastic Beasts...
“When you hit the bottom, you hit the bottom, you hit the bottom, then you find the basement to the bottom,” Depp told The Associated Press the day after “Jeanne du Barry”, in which he stars as King Louis Xv, opened Cannes.
This time last year, Depp was immersed in a libel trial he brought against Amber Heard, his ex-wife, based on a 2018 Washington Post op-ed piece in which she referred to herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” A British court had ruled in 2020 that a tabloid labeling Depp “a wife beater” were “substantially true.” Soon after the ruling in the U.K., Hollywood had largely cut ties with Depp, jettisoning him from both the “Fantastic Beasts...
- 5/19/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Ukraine’s cinema union issued an open letter on Thursday calling on participants of the Cannes Film Market to halt all business with Russia. The statement asserted that releasing films in Putin’s pariah state is akin to “support for terrorism” amid its ongoing war of aggression in the Eastern European nation.
The letter, which was written by the Ukrainian League of Cinemas, singled out a number of leading international indie distributors and sales agents — including Lionsgate, STXInternational, FilmNation, A24 and Pathé — whose films have been released in Russia since the start of the war.
“Continuing to do business in Russia means supporting the Russian terrorist state with taxes,” the statement read. “These taxes are then turned into weapons with which peaceful Ukrainian cities are destroyed, and our friends and colleagues are killed and maimed.”
Though Hollywood studios closed ranks in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion, pulling tentpole releases...
The letter, which was written by the Ukrainian League of Cinemas, singled out a number of leading international indie distributors and sales agents — including Lionsgate, STXInternational, FilmNation, A24 and Pathé — whose films have been released in Russia since the start of the war.
“Continuing to do business in Russia means supporting the Russian terrorist state with taxes,” the statement read. “These taxes are then turned into weapons with which peaceful Ukrainian cities are destroyed, and our friends and colleagues are killed and maimed.”
Though Hollywood studios closed ranks in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion, pulling tentpole releases...
- 5/18/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The guy with the slick, black ponytail worked the crowd, signing autographs and pressing the flesh, and posing for selfies, like it was still 2011 and nothing had changed at all. In France, maybe nothing had really changed. Here, on this red carpet, Johnny Depp remained the biggest movie star in the world, and the fans had never stopped screaming themselves hoarse (“Johnny! Johnn-yyyyy!”). When he took his seat inside the Grand Lumière theater in full gala-premiere mode, the audience applauded loudly. Depp winked at the camera, which was beaming a...
- 5/17/2023
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
A humbled and defensive Johnny Depp spoke up at the Cannes press conference Wednesday for the fest’s opening-night film Jeanne du Barry. Not only was he moved by the standing ovation in the Grand Theatre Lumière, but he also referred to the wake of the Amber Heard trial headlines (without pointing to it), exclaiming, “In regards to me and my life, the majority of what you’ve read is fantastically horrifically written fiction.”
Asked by Deadline whether he still felt boycotted by Hollywood, feelings he expressed back in an August 2021 Sunday Times interview, the three-time Oscar nominee answered, “Did I feel a boycott by Hollywood? Well, you’d have to not have a pulse to feel at that point, ‘None of this is happening, it’s just a weird joke or I have been asleep for 35 years.’ Of course, when you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing,...
Asked by Deadline whether he still felt boycotted by Hollywood, feelings he expressed back in an August 2021 Sunday Times interview, the three-time Oscar nominee answered, “Did I feel a boycott by Hollywood? Well, you’d have to not have a pulse to feel at that point, ‘None of this is happening, it’s just a weird joke or I have been asleep for 35 years.’ Of course, when you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Johnny Depp has played Cannes many times, with four of his films in Competition: “Dead Man” and “Ed Wood” (both 1995), “The Brave,” and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998), but he’s never had this much at stake on the Croisette. As the randy King Louis Xv, powdered and wigged in the opening-night Out of Competition selection “Jeanne du Barry,” Depp will begin his latest effort at career rehab.
Depp, who will be 60 in a few weeks, is well past his movie-star prime and remains in recovery from a string of court cases. Depp lost his “wife-beater” U.K. libel case against ex-wife Amber Heard in 2020, but last June he won $10 million in compensatory damages in a U.S. court. Warner Bros. paid his $16 million fee for the third “Fantastic Beasts” film, but asked him to resign from playing the role of Grindelwald in the Harry Potter franchise. (Mads Mikkelsen replaced him.
Depp, who will be 60 in a few weeks, is well past his movie-star prime and remains in recovery from a string of court cases. Depp lost his “wife-beater” U.K. libel case against ex-wife Amber Heard in 2020, but last June he won $10 million in compensatory damages in a U.S. court. Warner Bros. paid his $16 million fee for the third “Fantastic Beasts” film, but asked him to resign from playing the role of Grindelwald in the Harry Potter franchise. (Mads Mikkelsen replaced him.
- 5/16/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off Tuesday night with Michael Douglas receiving an honorary Palme d’Or, and Catherine Deneuve making a surprise appearance during the opening ceremony — ahead of the world premiere screening of Maïwenn’s Johnny Depp-starrer Jeanne du Barry, arguably one of the hottest tickets on the Croisette. The film received a standing ovation of a touch over four minutes later in the evening.
Chiara Mastroianni hosted the festivities, introducing the Ruben Ostlund-led jury, and noting that Cannes was created out of “an act of resistance” and that “the power of cinema has never let us down.”
Ostlund praised the communal experience of cinema, quipping that on television in his native Sweden, “The only thing we watch together is Eurovision.” The two-time Palme d’Or winner continued, “Just the fact that someone is sitting next you in the cinema and might turn to you and ask what do you think…...
Chiara Mastroianni hosted the festivities, introducing the Ruben Ostlund-led jury, and noting that Cannes was created out of “an act of resistance” and that “the power of cinema has never let us down.”
Ostlund praised the communal experience of cinema, quipping that on television in his native Sweden, “The only thing we watch together is Eurovision.” The two-time Palme d’Or winner continued, “Just the fact that someone is sitting next you in the cinema and might turn to you and ask what do you think…...
- 5/16/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
The films of Maïwenn, like Maïwenn herself, tend to be divisive.
When they’re good, such as in the writer-director-actress’ breakthrough second feature, Polisse, they’re filled with hotblooded ensemble performances that channel the kinetic energy of John Cassavetes. When they’re not, such as in her last effort, DNA, they feel like overblown arthouse selfies where Maïwenn is the only star.
Either way, they hardly leave you indifferent, which is why the director’s biggest project yet, a $22.4 million biopic of the legendary 18th century French courtesan Jeanne du Barry, can seem so surprising. Sumptuously made and with enough jaw-dropping costumes — several of them courtesy of Chanel, one of the film’s sponsors — to warrant a separate runway show, Maïwenn’s lavish feature is also, well, kind of bland.
It has a great setting, with many scenes shot in and around the real Palace of Versailles, and a great setup,...
When they’re good, such as in the writer-director-actress’ breakthrough second feature, Polisse, they’re filled with hotblooded ensemble performances that channel the kinetic energy of John Cassavetes. When they’re not, such as in her last effort, DNA, they feel like overblown arthouse selfies where Maïwenn is the only star.
Either way, they hardly leave you indifferent, which is why the director’s biggest project yet, a $22.4 million biopic of the legendary 18th century French courtesan Jeanne du Barry, can seem so surprising. Sumptuously made and with enough jaw-dropping costumes — several of them courtesy of Chanel, one of the film’s sponsors — to warrant a separate runway show, Maïwenn’s lavish feature is also, well, kind of bland.
It has a great setting, with many scenes shot in and around the real Palace of Versailles, and a great setup,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Editor’s Note: This review originally published during the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Vertical Entertainment will release “Jeanne du Barry” on Friday, May 3.
Zeroing in on a glamorous notable from this or that royal court, and using them a kind of mannequin over which to drape lofty themes and embellishments, “Jeanne du Barry” is a perfectly serviceable entry in a genre born of the stage and perfected by Old Hollywood: the star showcase. That the icon in the spotlight is writer-director-lead actor Maïwenn, and not her American co-star Johnny Depp, should come as a relief to some, a crushing disappointment to others, and surprise to absolutely no one. Just look at the film’s title.
Or, look to the auteur behind this year’s Cannes Film Festival opener. For those whose familiarity with the diva ends at the blue makeup she wore in Luc Besson’s “The Fifth Element,” the French...
Zeroing in on a glamorous notable from this or that royal court, and using them a kind of mannequin over which to drape lofty themes and embellishments, “Jeanne du Barry” is a perfectly serviceable entry in a genre born of the stage and perfected by Old Hollywood: the star showcase. That the icon in the spotlight is writer-director-lead actor Maïwenn, and not her American co-star Johnny Depp, should come as a relief to some, a crushing disappointment to others, and surprise to absolutely no one. Just look at the film’s title.
Or, look to the auteur behind this year’s Cannes Film Festival opener. For those whose familiarity with the diva ends at the blue makeup she wore in Luc Besson’s “The Fifth Element,” the French...
- 5/16/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Indiewire
On a picturesque day in the South of France, throngs of Johnny Depp fans gathered along the Croisette, shrieking and snapping photos as embattled movie star graced the world’s most famous red carpet. “Jeanne du Barry,” which marks Depp’s first leading film role in three years, since ongoing legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard stalled his Hollywood career, opened the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Depp recently won a defamation case in the U.S. against Heard, who was ordered to pay the star $10 million in damages, and is trying to mount a comeback. But the move has been criticized by some and embraced by others, including Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux, who said earlier in the festival “I care about Johnny Depp as an actor.”
As Depp, sporting a slicked back ponytail and tinted purple shades, exited his black car, squeals echoed throughout the sprawling complex that houses the festival,...
Depp recently won a defamation case in the U.S. against Heard, who was ordered to pay the star $10 million in damages, and is trying to mount a comeback. But the move has been criticized by some and embraced by others, including Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux, who said earlier in the festival “I care about Johnny Depp as an actor.”
As Depp, sporting a slicked back ponytail and tinted purple shades, exited his black car, squeals echoed throughout the sprawling complex that houses the festival,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Brent Lang and Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicks off this evening with a stacked two-week lineup of celebrated auteurs and Hollywood star power along with all the usual provocative characters.
The opening film, Jeanne du Barry, is the sixth feature from French actress-writer-director Maïwenn and features Johnny Depp as her lover, French King Louis Xv. Depp is set to hit the red carpet alongside Maïwenn, and keen observers will be analyzing how he presents himself and how audiences react to his first leading role in three years, following the conclusion of two highly publicized legal battles with his ex-wife Amber Heard.
He shot the pic around the time of his U.S. victory in the defamation case he pressed against Heard. This followed an earlier unsuccessful attempt to defend himself in an acrimonious UK trial against UK tabloid The Sun, where all the tawdry elements of a toxic marriage...
The opening film, Jeanne du Barry, is the sixth feature from French actress-writer-director Maïwenn and features Johnny Depp as her lover, French King Louis Xv. Depp is set to hit the red carpet alongside Maïwenn, and keen observers will be analyzing how he presents himself and how audiences react to his first leading role in three years, following the conclusion of two highly publicized legal battles with his ex-wife Amber Heard.
He shot the pic around the time of his U.S. victory in the defamation case he pressed against Heard. This followed an earlier unsuccessful attempt to defend himself in an acrimonious UK trial against UK tabloid The Sun, where all the tawdry elements of a toxic marriage...
- 5/16/2023
- by Zac Ntim and Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
With Johnny Depp making his big-screen return on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival in Jeanne du Barry, after being shut out of Hollywood from battling ex-wife Amber Heard in the courts, festival juror Brie Larson was asked by a reporter at a press conference Tuesday whether she’ll see it.
Larson was asked as an “outspoken advocate for Time’s Up” how she felt about the controversial Depp film being at Cannes.
“You’re asking me that?” The Room Oscar winner pushed back.
“Um, I‘m sorry, I don’t understand the correlation of why me specifically,” Larson continued.
Related: Cannes Film Festival 2023 In Photos
The reporter emphasized how the Captain Marvel thespian was on the celebrity advisory council, and that Depp’s court case against The Sun in which he was labeled a “wife beater” was in the spotlight. So, would the actress actually go see his movie.
Larson was asked as an “outspoken advocate for Time’s Up” how she felt about the controversial Depp film being at Cannes.
“You’re asking me that?” The Room Oscar winner pushed back.
“Um, I‘m sorry, I don’t understand the correlation of why me specifically,” Larson continued.
Related: Cannes Film Festival 2023 In Photos
The reporter emphasized how the Captain Marvel thespian was on the celebrity advisory council, and that Depp’s court case against The Sun in which he was labeled a “wife beater” was in the spotlight. So, would the actress actually go see his movie.
- 5/16/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Amid all the noise here at the Cannes Film Festival about sexual predators, Johnny Depp’s return in Jeanne du Barry tonight and the admitted assaulting history of that movie’s director Maïwenn; the WGA strike is not forgotten.
Fielding questions Tuesday about striking writers back in Hollywood who’ve been beaten down by streaming, the big-screen Cannes Film Festival jurors had something to say at their opening press conference.
In a response winning him applause from the journalists in the room, Paul Dano said, “My wife is currently picketing with my 6-month-old, strapped to her chest,” said the actor. “I will be there on the picket line when I get back home.”
Dano is also a director and writer, having helmed and co-wrote Wildlife which played Cannes Critics Week back in 2018. The SAG-AFTRA contract expires at the end of June, together the DGA contract.
Cannes Jury boss...
Fielding questions Tuesday about striking writers back in Hollywood who’ve been beaten down by streaming, the big-screen Cannes Film Festival jurors had something to say at their opening press conference.
In a response winning him applause from the journalists in the room, Paul Dano said, “My wife is currently picketing with my 6-month-old, strapped to her chest,” said the actor. “I will be there on the picket line when I get back home.”
Dano is also a director and writer, having helmed and co-wrote Wildlife which played Cannes Critics Week back in 2018. The SAG-AFTRA contract expires at the end of June, together the DGA contract.
Cannes Jury boss...
- 5/16/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
A new social media campaign with the hashtag #CannesYouNot is calling out the Cannes Film Festival for “celebrating abusers for 76 years.”
The campaign was launched online, days before the festival, by supporters of Amber Heard.
Her ex-husband Johnny Depp’s new film, “Jeanne du Barry,” will open the prestigious festival on Tuesday night when Cannes kicks off in the South of France.
Eve Barlow — a journalist, activist and close friend of Amber Heard’s — posted the hashtag across her social platforms. “Cannes seem proud of their history supporting rapists and abusers,” Barlow posted on social media with the French expression, “Plus ça change,” which roughly translates to, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Along with her caption, Barlow posted a series of photos depicting accused men who have been prominent presences at Cannes over the years including Depp, Roman Polanski, Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen, Gerard Depardieu and Luc Besson.
The campaign was launched online, days before the festival, by supporters of Amber Heard.
Her ex-husband Johnny Depp’s new film, “Jeanne du Barry,” will open the prestigious festival on Tuesday night when Cannes kicks off in the South of France.
Eve Barlow — a journalist, activist and close friend of Amber Heard’s — posted the hashtag across her social platforms. “Cannes seem proud of their history supporting rapists and abusers,” Barlow posted on social media with the French expression, “Plus ça change,” which roughly translates to, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Along with her caption, Barlow posted a series of photos depicting accused men who have been prominent presences at Cannes over the years including Depp, Roman Polanski, Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen, Gerard Depardieu and Luc Besson.
- 5/16/2023
- by Elizabeth Wagmeister
- Variety Film + TV
At a press conference the day before the start of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, artistic director Thierry Fremaux defended Johnny Depp, warded off complaints about the digital ticketing system, and declined to comment on Woody Allen. Again and again, he redirected the conversation to the movies.
“So you’re not really asking about the cinema?” he responded to one journalist. “I won’t talk about films that aren’t here,” he said later.
Fremaux has a history of deflection when it comes to the delicate navigation of cultural and political subjects at the center of the world’s most prominent film festival; a wrong word can set off a media firestorm and this year many distractions loom.
“Jeanne du Barry”Cannes
There’s Depp, who appears for a few minutes in opening selection “Jeanne du Barry” and has a directing vehicle at the market; the looming WGA strike, which prohibits...
“So you’re not really asking about the cinema?” he responded to one journalist. “I won’t talk about films that aren’t here,” he said later.
Fremaux has a history of deflection when it comes to the delicate navigation of cultural and political subjects at the center of the world’s most prominent film festival; a wrong word can set off a media firestorm and this year many distractions loom.
“Jeanne du Barry”Cannes
There’s Depp, who appears for a few minutes in opening selection “Jeanne du Barry” and has a directing vehicle at the market; the looming WGA strike, which prohibits...
- 5/15/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
If once lured for brief visits by the panoply of iconic locations, international projects now linger in France to claim a competitive tax rebate and set down roots to benefit from an ever-expanding production infrastructure.
And so, fuelled by mammoth shoots like Apple TV+’s upcoming Benjamin Franklin in Paris limited series, “Franklin,” the Christian Dior-Coco Chanel bio-series “The New Look” and AMC’s “Walking Dead” spinoff “Raise the Dead,” foreign spending hit a record high last year, filling local coffers with slightly more than $1 billion and marking a 324% increase from 2019 numbers.
“This is more than a post-pandemic rebound,” says France’s National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (Cnc) digital director Vincent Florant. “[The industry has undergone] rapid acceleration and exponential growth. Nowadays, we host the totality of these massive shoots, whereas before we only received a part, or even, in the most extreme cases, just a few days of...
And so, fuelled by mammoth shoots like Apple TV+’s upcoming Benjamin Franklin in Paris limited series, “Franklin,” the Christian Dior-Coco Chanel bio-series “The New Look” and AMC’s “Walking Dead” spinoff “Raise the Dead,” foreign spending hit a record high last year, filling local coffers with slightly more than $1 billion and marking a 324% increase from 2019 numbers.
“This is more than a post-pandemic rebound,” says France’s National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (Cnc) digital director Vincent Florant. “[The industry has undergone] rapid acceleration and exponential growth. Nowadays, we host the totality of these massive shoots, whereas before we only received a part, or even, in the most extreme cases, just a few days of...
- 5/15/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
French writer/director/actress Maïwenn, née Maïwenn Lo Besco, has admitted to assaulting a journalist amid an ongoing lawsuit.
The “Jeanne du Barry” director and star is the subject of legal action taken by Edwy Plenel, the editor-in-chief of Mediapart magazine. Plenel alleged Maïwenn pulled his hair and spat in his face while dining at a Paris restaurant. The reporter filed a police report on March 7 and cited that the encounter took place in late February.
In a new live TV interview on nightly talk show “Quotidien,” Maïwenn addressed the assault allegations.
“Can you confirm? Can you say more?” host Yann Barthès asked the filmmaker (via Deadline).
“Can I confirm that I assaulted him, or that I received a complaint?” Maïwenn responded before clarifying, “I didn’t receive a complaint. I learned about it in the press.”
Barthès inquired, “And did you assault him?”
Maïwenn said, “Yes,” before sidestepping the details.
The “Jeanne du Barry” director and star is the subject of legal action taken by Edwy Plenel, the editor-in-chief of Mediapart magazine. Plenel alleged Maïwenn pulled his hair and spat in his face while dining at a Paris restaurant. The reporter filed a police report on March 7 and cited that the encounter took place in late February.
In a new live TV interview on nightly talk show “Quotidien,” Maïwenn addressed the assault allegations.
“Can you confirm? Can you say more?” host Yann Barthès asked the filmmaker (via Deadline).
“Can I confirm that I assaulted him, or that I received a complaint?” Maïwenn responded before clarifying, “I didn’t receive a complaint. I learned about it in the press.”
Barthès inquired, “And did you assault him?”
Maïwenn said, “Yes,” before sidestepping the details.
- 5/11/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Pixar Animation Studio title Elemental has been announced as the last film of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, running from May 16 to 27.
The film will be presented Out of Competition on May 27, ahead of its release in theaters in the US on June 16 and in France on June 21.
Elemental is the fourth feature film from Pixar Animation Studios to be presented in the Official Selection, after Up, Inside Out and Soul.
Set in the world of Element City, where characters representing the elements of fire, water, earth and air live side by side in harmony, the film revolves around fire element Ember Lumen and water element Wade Ripple, who grow close but can never touch.
Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, said this year’s return to Cannes was particularly special for the studio.
“As we all emerge from our pandemic cocoons and come together in story rooms,...
The film will be presented Out of Competition on May 27, ahead of its release in theaters in the US on June 16 and in France on June 21.
Elemental is the fourth feature film from Pixar Animation Studios to be presented in the Official Selection, after Up, Inside Out and Soul.
Set in the world of Element City, where characters representing the elements of fire, water, earth and air live side by side in harmony, the film revolves around fire element Ember Lumen and water element Wade Ripple, who grow close but can never touch.
Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, said this year’s return to Cannes was particularly special for the studio.
“As we all emerge from our pandemic cocoons and come together in story rooms,...
- 4/19/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Prestige slot for Jeanne de Barry, featuring Depp as Louis Xv, has drawn criticism but general delegate Thierry Frémaux says it is not ‘a controversial choice’
Cannes film festival general delegate Thierry Frémaux has defended the decision to hand the prestigious opening slot to Jeanne du Barry, in which Depp stars as Louis Xv.
Directed by and starring Maïwenn, Jeanne du Barry is a biopic of the famous 18th-century maîtresse-en-titre, who was executed in 1793 during the French revolution. Speaking to Variety, Frémaux said it was not “a controversial choice”, adding: “If Johnny Depp had been banned from working it would have been different, but that’s not the case. We only know one thing, it’s the justice system and I think he won the legal case.”...
Cannes film festival general delegate Thierry Frémaux has defended the decision to hand the prestigious opening slot to Jeanne du Barry, in which Depp stars as Louis Xv.
Directed by and starring Maïwenn, Jeanne du Barry is a biopic of the famous 18th-century maîtresse-en-titre, who was executed in 1793 during the French revolution. Speaking to Variety, Frémaux said it was not “a controversial choice”, adding: “If Johnny Depp had been banned from working it would have been different, but that’s not the case. We only know one thing, it’s the justice system and I think he won the legal case.”...
- 4/17/2023
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Cannes Director Defends Johnny Depp’s ‘Jeanne du Barry’ as Opener: It’s Not a ‘Controversial Choice’
Opening an acclaimed festival with a film featuring a problematic lead star and a director accused of assault? Not controversial at all.
Cannes festival director Thierry Fremaux addressed the potential backlash to “Jeanne du Barry” being announced as the 2023 opening night selection. The period piece film stars Johnny Depp and Maïwenn as French king Louis Xv and his lover Jeanne du Barry; Maïwenn, who was recently sued for assault, also directs the film.
“I don’t see Maïwenn’s film as a controversial choice at all, because if Johnny Depp had been banned from working it would have been different, but that’s not the case,” Fremaux told Variety. “We only know one thing, it’s the justice system and I think he won the legal case. But the movie isn’t about Johnny Depp.”
Depp won a defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard, alleging he lost out on work following her abuse accusations.
Cannes festival director Thierry Fremaux addressed the potential backlash to “Jeanne du Barry” being announced as the 2023 opening night selection. The period piece film stars Johnny Depp and Maïwenn as French king Louis Xv and his lover Jeanne du Barry; Maïwenn, who was recently sued for assault, also directs the film.
“I don’t see Maïwenn’s film as a controversial choice at all, because if Johnny Depp had been banned from working it would have been different, but that’s not the case,” Fremaux told Variety. “We only know one thing, it’s the justice system and I think he won the legal case. But the movie isn’t about Johnny Depp.”
Depp won a defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard, alleging he lost out on work following her abuse accusations.
- 4/14/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The morning of the Cannes lineup press conference is often described by movie journalists as ‘Christmas for arthouse film-lovers’. Yesterday was no different, with fest head Thierry Frémaux returning in his role as Santa to dole out gifts to a bevvy of expectant industry and writers.
Below are some of the key talking points from another intriguing lineup, which will be officially unwrapped from May 16th.
To Compete Or Not To Compete?
As it stands, Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon will play Out Of Competition. However, Thierry Frémaux spelled out that he has been trying to convince Apple and Scorsese that their film should play in Competition. So far, the Moon is not for turning. The conversation is ongoing, so things could change — there is still space in the Competition. So what’s the issue? It was a real coup for the festival to get the Apple movie,...
Below are some of the key talking points from another intriguing lineup, which will be officially unwrapped from May 16th.
To Compete Or Not To Compete?
As it stands, Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon will play Out Of Competition. However, Thierry Frémaux spelled out that he has been trying to convince Apple and Scorsese that their film should play in Competition. So far, the Moon is not for turning. The conversation is ongoing, so things could change — there is still space in the Competition. So what’s the issue? It was a real coup for the festival to get the Apple movie,...
- 4/14/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Stars are getting ready to walk the Croisette.
On Thursday, the Cannes Film Festival announced its full 2023 lineup, including some heavy hitters like Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City”.
Read More: Scorsese’s Long-Awaited ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ To Premiere At Cannes In May
The festival had been teasing Scorsese’s film, which stars Leonard DiCaprio, for weeks ahead of the official announcement.
“Killers” will be playing out of competition, alongside the hotly anticipated sequel “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”, as well as Sam Levinson’s TV show with The Weeknd “The Idol”, and the Johnny Depp-starring “Jeanne du Barry”, which will open the festival.
“Asteroid City”, which features an all-star cast including Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson and Tilda Swinton, will be vying for the Palme D’Or in competition.
Other films in competition...
On Thursday, the Cannes Film Festival announced its full 2023 lineup, including some heavy hitters like Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City”.
Read More: Scorsese’s Long-Awaited ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ To Premiere At Cannes In May
The festival had been teasing Scorsese’s film, which stars Leonard DiCaprio, for weeks ahead of the official announcement.
“Killers” will be playing out of competition, alongside the hotly anticipated sequel “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”, as well as Sam Levinson’s TV show with The Weeknd “The Idol”, and the Johnny Depp-starring “Jeanne du Barry”, which will open the festival.
“Asteroid City”, which features an all-star cast including Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson and Tilda Swinton, will be vying for the Palme D’Or in competition.
Other films in competition...
- 4/13/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
The press conference kicked off in central Paris at 11.10am local time (10.10am BST).
The Cannes Film Festival (May 16-27) is announcing the line-up for its 76th edition.
The festival’s longtime director Thierry Frémaux is revealing the Official Selection at a press conference at the Ugc Normandie theatre in Paris alongside incoming festival president Iris Knobloch.
Two-time Palme d’Or-winning Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund will preside over the jury that will vote on the festival’s top prizes in the international competition.
As previously announced, Maiwenn’s Jeanne du Barry, starring the director opposite Johnny Depp, will open the...
The Cannes Film Festival (May 16-27) is announcing the line-up for its 76th edition.
The festival’s longtime director Thierry Frémaux is revealing the Official Selection at a press conference at the Ugc Normandie theatre in Paris alongside incoming festival president Iris Knobloch.
Two-time Palme d’Or-winning Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund will preside over the jury that will vote on the festival’s top prizes in the international competition.
As previously announced, Maiwenn’s Jeanne du Barry, starring the director opposite Johnny Depp, will open the...
- 4/13/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
French actor Gérard Depardieu has been accused of sexually inappropriate behavior by 13 women in an in-depth report published by the French investigative news website Médiapart.
Médiapart said the accusations were linked to eleven films and series between 2004 – 2022. The productions included the comedy Big House, bio-pic Dumas and Netflix crime series Marseille.
Depardieu’s lawyers at Paris-based law firm Cabinet Temime said some of the accounts appeared to be based on “very subjective assessments and/or moral judgments”.
“He formally denies all the charges likely to fall under criminal law,” the cabinet said in a statement issued on Depardieu’s behalf to Médiapart.
Deadline has also contacted Cabinet Temime for further comment.
A number of the directors and producers involved in the productions cited in the report also put out statements denying any knowledge of Depardieu’s actions.
Médiapart said the findings were the fruit of an investigation lasting several months,...
Médiapart said the accusations were linked to eleven films and series between 2004 – 2022. The productions included the comedy Big House, bio-pic Dumas and Netflix crime series Marseille.
Depardieu’s lawyers at Paris-based law firm Cabinet Temime said some of the accounts appeared to be based on “very subjective assessments and/or moral judgments”.
“He formally denies all the charges likely to fall under criminal law,” the cabinet said in a statement issued on Depardieu’s behalf to Médiapart.
Deadline has also contacted Cabinet Temime for further comment.
A number of the directors and producers involved in the productions cited in the report also put out statements denying any knowledge of Depardieu’s actions.
Médiapart said the findings were the fruit of an investigation lasting several months,...
- 4/12/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Pedro Almodóvar’s “Strange Way of Life” will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the Official Selection, the festival announced on Tuesday.
Almodovar will attend the world premiere with his two leading men, Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.
Described as a Western filmed in the south of Spain, this short film is the filmmaker’s second experience in English, after “The Human Voice” made in 2020.
Also Read:
Johnny Depp French Film ‘Jeanne Du Barry’ to Open Cannes Film Festival
The screening will be followed by a conversation with Pedro Almodóvar and the filmmaking team.
The synopsis is as follows: A man rides a horse across the desert that separates him from Bitter Creek. He comes to visit Sheriff Jake. Twenty-five years earlier, both the sheriff and Silva, the rancher who rides out to meet him, worked together as hired gunmen. Silva visits him with the excuse...
Almodovar will attend the world premiere with his two leading men, Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.
Described as a Western filmed in the south of Spain, this short film is the filmmaker’s second experience in English, after “The Human Voice” made in 2020.
Also Read:
Johnny Depp French Film ‘Jeanne Du Barry’ to Open Cannes Film Festival
The screening will be followed by a conversation with Pedro Almodóvar and the filmmaking team.
The synopsis is as follows: A man rides a horse across the desert that separates him from Bitter Creek. He comes to visit Sheriff Jake. Twenty-five years earlier, both the sheriff and Silva, the rancher who rides out to meet him, worked together as hired gunmen. Silva visits him with the excuse...
- 4/11/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Johnny Depp’s new film Jeanne Du Barry will open the Cannes Film Festival, it has been announced.
Directed by and starring French filmmaker Maïwenn, the French-language film tells the story of King Louis Xv‘s mistress Jeanne Vaubernier.
Maïwenn will play the eponymous lead in the period drama, with Depp, in his first feature film role in three years, playing her king in the French-speaking role.
The supporting cast includes Benjamin Lavernhe, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Greggory and India Hair.
In the film’s synopsis, Vaubernier is described as “a young working-class woman hungry for culture and pleasure, who uses her intelligence and allure to climb the rungs of the social ladder one by one”.
“She becomes the favourite of King Louis Xv who, unaware of her status as courtesan, regains through her his appetite for life. They fall madly in love. Against all propriety and etiquette, Jeanne moves to Versailles,...
Directed by and starring French filmmaker Maïwenn, the French-language film tells the story of King Louis Xv‘s mistress Jeanne Vaubernier.
Maïwenn will play the eponymous lead in the period drama, with Depp, in his first feature film role in three years, playing her king in the French-speaking role.
The supporting cast includes Benjamin Lavernhe, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Greggory and India Hair.
In the film’s synopsis, Vaubernier is described as “a young working-class woman hungry for culture and pleasure, who uses her intelligence and allure to climb the rungs of the social ladder one by one”.
“She becomes the favourite of King Louis Xv who, unaware of her status as courtesan, regains through her his appetite for life. They fall madly in love. Against all propriety and etiquette, Jeanne moves to Versailles,...
- 4/6/2023
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - Film
Maïwenn’s historical drama, “Jeanne du Barry,” starring Johnny Depp as Louis Xv, is slated to world premiere on opening night of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, Variety has learned. The festival confirmed the news following Variety’s report.
The movie marks Depp’s acting comeback after a three-year hiatus following his long legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard which culminated in a defamation trial won by Depp in December.
Maïwenn’s sixth feature, the period movie revolves around the tumultuous relationship of the French king Louis Xv and his lover, Jeanne du Barry (played by Maiwenn), whom he brought into the Versailles Palace to live near him even though she wasn’t a noble. Louis Xv, who was nicknamed “the beloved,” ultimately died as an unpopular king after being accused of corruption. He reigned for 59 years, the longest in the history of France after that of...
The movie marks Depp’s acting comeback after a three-year hiatus following his long legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard which culminated in a defamation trial won by Depp in December.
Maïwenn’s sixth feature, the period movie revolves around the tumultuous relationship of the French king Louis Xv and his lover, Jeanne du Barry (played by Maiwenn), whom he brought into the Versailles Palace to live near him even though she wasn’t a noble. Louis Xv, who was nicknamed “the beloved,” ultimately died as an unpopular king after being accused of corruption. He reigned for 59 years, the longest in the history of France after that of...
- 4/5/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
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